Daybreak
by Orcrist's Mate
Summary: Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks. SasuNaru.
1. Capture

**Title**: Daybreak**  
Chapter Title**: Capture**  
Summary**: _Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning_. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks. **  
Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within, to my regret. Many thanks to the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto.**  
Warnings: **Rated T for language, violence and some sexual content later on. Well, kind of T+. I don't believe it deserves a 'M' rating at this point, although it may rise later. There are also some spoilers for the manga in here, but nothing that the anime won't cover within the next two or three months.  
**  
Author's Note**: I should be working on Rifts, but this is what happens when I try to focus on just one thing =P.

Reviews are appreciated, and I very much hope you enjoy this! :)

* * *

**Daybreak**

**Chapter 1**

"We could kill him. Nobody would know – we'll just weight his body and dump it in the river. He'd be reported as a missing-nin."

"Fuck that. Just slit his throat and leave him as a warning for the others not to bother us."

Watery, far away voices washed over Naruto as he swam sluggishly into consciousness, each syllable accompanied by an intense, pulsing ache in his skull.

"You can't do that, idiot! We don't want to be followed!"

"What, like we can't take on a bunch of wimpy losers from Konoha? Get real, Karin. You're just afraid that pretty-boy is gonna be pissed 'cause you let some weakling _genin _sneak up on you."

"What?! Listen up, you stupid bas-"

The sounds of a scuffle followed, the annoying voices drowned out by the crashing of heavy objects against gods knew what. Naruto squeezed his eyes shut and focused on his breathing as what felt like a massive sledgehammer slammed into his temple in a daunting rhythm. Focus, _focus_, he needed to concentrate on what was happening. Start with touch. He was lying on his side on a cold stone floor, his hands tied tightly behind his back and head throbbing every time his heart beat. The left side of his face felt sticky and stiff – obviously dried blood, and most likely his own.

So far, it seemed like he was royally screwed.

Sound. There were at least two people in the room, arguing intensely. As the voices raised in pitch and began to hurl much more vulgar insults at each other, he tried to shift his hands, only to receive a sharp, jabbing pain as blood rushed back into them and tiny needles stung his fingertips. Trying to wriggle free was useless – some bastard obviously knew what he was doing when it had been tied.

Akatsuki? The idea of being captured by them made his blood run cold, but as far as he knew they were extremely competent – and certainly not prone to being surprised by a large, loud group of chuunin...

"_You _were supposed to be on lookout duty! What were you doing back there, anyways, fondling your sword?!" The first voice (Karin, he supposed) was obviously female, obnoxiously high pitched and thrumming with indignation.

"It's hardly _my _fault that you can't even defend yourself against a gangly kid from Konoha, you goddamn bitch! If Juugo hadn't been here, you'd be dead! Why are you even _on _this team?" This one was male, drawling and sounding both irritated and vaguely amused with the situation at the same time. Naruto envisioned a boy slightly older than him, with Kiba's smirk and Shikamaru's general apathy.

Remembering his comrades made him squirm suddenly. What was he doing here, anyways? All he hazily remembered was bursting into the fortress library, stacks of scrolls piled past his head, and seeing a woman rifling through them with fevered intensity. Then a heavy impact on the side of his head, and... nothing.

_The mission. _

Something went wrong with the mission. Something had happened, something that made Shikamaru order them all to break up, find the intruders before...

(_before...?)_

A stream of images from the past few days _(green eyes smiling/bright streak of red across pale Hyuuga skin/frantic orders from squad leaders), _flashed across his eyes, but he couldn't remember between the bickering voices and the deep throb of his temples. Naruto didn't dare open his eyes – they might notice he was awake, and that particular path probably ended with his body in the river. How had he been caught off guard like that – so unprepared that someone had managed to sneak up behind up him? He bit his lip harshly to avoid growling in frustration. The worst thing was that these guys were probably way weaker than him, and he was _still _in a position that could kill him if he wasn't careful.

"At least we have the scroll now, no thanks to _you-_"

A final twist of his hands against the rough rope convinced the blond that there was no escape that way. He chanced opening his eyes to slits, but could see only the plane of a tile floor, with no immediate weapons in sight. Shadowy figures were moving in the opposite corner of the room, but he didn't dare open his eyes any wider in case of detection. This was bad. No hands meant no jutsu, no jutsu meant hand to hand fighting in his possibly critically injured condition, and that meant there was absolutely no way he was getting out of this without the Kyuubi.

_Ain't gonna be Hokage is this keeps up, you loser, _Naruto thought to himself disgustedly and began to reach far down into his mind, searching for the elusive and explosively powerful chakra that would allow him to break free.

"Guys. Stop, please." This voice was much deeper and pleasant-sounding, but with an underlying current that indicated the request wasn't really a request at all. "Fighting will get us nowhere."

The other two voices promptly ceased, and huffy silence reigned for a moment before the voice spoke again, gently. "Blame can be assigned later. First, we have to figure out what to do with the prisoner. I... think that killing him might be a bad a idea."

"Well, he _is _from Konoha. In case you've forgotten, that's kind of who we're targeting at the moment." The other male said bitingly, and Naruto listened intently through the haze of pain in his mind, the first threads of power beginning to snake through his veins. Who the hell were these people?

"We also need information, though. Like why Konoha knew we were heading for the library, and how much they know about our motives and movements. Our leader might want to interrogate him."

Crap crap crap. Well, definitely not Akatsuki, then, if they didn't know who he was. The idea would have been comforting, had they not been calmly discussing how best to dispose of him. The Kyuubi chakra began to pour faster into his body, and Naruto tightened his muscles in preparation to break his bonds. His unknown captors would have the advantage, of course – three against one were never great odds, but the alternative was either death, or probably torture and _then _death. Besides, Naruto Uzumaki had faced much greater odds... and had come out laughing.

"Juugo, we have a problem." The woman named Karin said suddenly, the shrillness gone from her voice. "The prisoner's chakra... it's changing." She sounded worried, and light footsteps began to click across the tiles towards Naruto. His newly heightened senses quivered, and he could smell the perfume applied delicately to her neck, could feel the exact distance between her delicate feet and the sharp definition of his deadly hands. He flexed his newly renewed wrists behind him, and the ropes broke silently as he directed a sharp stream of red chakra at them. Blood lust sang through his veins, the same primal hunger for battle that always came with using the power of the Jinchuuriki. The pain of his battered body faded into the background, replaced by a rush of adrenaline. She'd be close enough to kill in three steps.

Two steps.

One.

Naruto sprang to all fours, opened his eyes, and barely registered a shock of bright red hair before he launched himself at the woman. Surprise flickered across her face, and she raised an arm to ward him off, but it was too late, and her throat was in his grasp even as her other hand rose with a knife and slit open his calf-

A sudden force across his face caused him to fly into the wall, and as a jarring impact shot through his shoulder, Naruto whirled to confront one of the biggest men he had ever seen. This must be Juugo, with wild orange hair and a dark look in his eyes. All his senses said _enemy_, and he gathered his chakra close to himself and expelled it in a sudden burst, causing everything over four feet high to be knocked to the ground, including a scrawny young man in the corner, who jumped to his feet with a scowl, hand reaching behind him for a sword that looked strangely familiar...

"Don't let him get away!" He shouted, flinging two kunai in Naruto's direction. The blond easily dodged and lunged forward to tackle the woman, who was in the middle of a complex jutsu. The new injury in his leg suddenly twinged, though, causing him to stumble as Juugo's massive arm knocked into him and pinned him against the wall. Naruto looked up to see an equally huge fist headed right towards his face. One hit from that and he was gone. Desperately, he kicked upwards with both legs and managed to knock Juugo's hand off course. It smashed into the wall an inch beside his head and blew the solid rock to smithereens. Naruto writhed under the man's grasp, crossing his fingers in a familiar gesture.

"Hold him still!" Karin yelled, fingertips glowing with a sickly-green chakra, and Juugo's fingers tightened around Naruto's neck.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto roared before his air supply was cut off, and gave a feral grin at the man's shocked expression as six more solid hundred and fifty pound clones infused with Kyuubi chakra leaped at him and Karin. The grip on his throat loosened as three clones attacked Juugo from behind, snarling viciously. Naruto slipped out of his grasp and directed chakra to his feet, running up the side of the wall and crouching to assess the situation while his assailants were busy with the clones. He almost winced when he saw the condition of his copies – one of the limitations of his jutsu was that they appeared in the same condition as him. The side of his face was scraped raw, steadily oozing blood, and he thought he could see a darker gash running from his temple into his hairline. The left pantleg of each clone was soaked in dark blood. Their movements were sluggish, too, even with the extra chakra, and they were quickly being dispatched by Juugo and Karin. He was obviously in bad condition, and by the looks of it, his captors were aiming to kill.

In short, it was time to get the hell out of here. Naruto's eyes darted around until he saw a wooden door in the opposite corner of the room. Excellent. All he would have to do was run across the ceiling...

His leg muscles tensed to make the dash, blood spurting from the gash received from Karin, but sudden cold steel pressing against his throat stopped him.

"Go on. I dare you." The third man's silky voice whispered into his ear, and before Naruto could turn around and punch him in the face (_where the hell did he _come _from??_), the hilt of a kunai hit him in the same damaged spot on his head, and he sank into unconsciousness.

_aaa  
_

"For god's sake, Suigetsu, he's not going bite you. Let him wake up. I've suppressed his chakra for now. The little bastard isn't going _anywhere._" A weary, high-pitched voice pierced Naruto's skull like a drill. There was a scream of metal as something heavy was moved away from his head.

"Fine." The man he presumed to be Suigetsu hissed, and Naruto groaned as a foot slammed into his ribs. "Get up."

"Go to hell, buddy." Naruto managed through gritted teeth, opening his eyes to slits. Three faces swam into view – Karin, with a long scratch down the side of one face and a sour expression, Juugo, frowning disapprovingly at something, and Suigetsu, with violet eyes and a nasty smile. The latter grinned, baring two rows of pointed teeth as he sheathed a giant sword on his back.

"I will someday, you can count on that. But not quite yet. Rise and shine, princess."

Naruto struggled onto one elbow, a difficult task now that his hands were tied again, and spat blood onto the ground, taking a quick glance around before the light pained his head. The room was gone... they were now in a forest clearing, with the afternoon sun high in the sky. It was a beautiful day – a huge difference from the storm clouds that had stretched for miles and had shown no signs of passing when he had started the mission. With dismay, he realized that he had no idea how long he had been unconscious.

"What..." Naruto began, and stopped as a dry pain shot through his throat. The pressure from Juugo's hands had been strong – he could feel a burning welt forming on the area under his jaw. "What do you want with me?" He choked out after a second, fingers curling into the ground. Plan B, since A had so obviously failed: find out what the hell they wanted, _then_ go Kyuubi and run like hell.

"Information." Karin said, running a finger down the long cut on her face.

"Fuck you." Naruto coughed, the taste of copper coating his teeth. Through his squint, he thought he saw her smirk.

"Face it – you're in a bad situation. Either you can tell us what we want to know _now, _or we can torture you first, and _then _you can tell us." She smiled softly, eyes glinting. "Trust me, there's no way you'll be getting away this time."

"I'm not telling you anything!" Naruto snarled, the words coming out twisted and harsh through his constricted throat passage. With a mental shove he threw open the doors of his mind, ready to receive the hot, twisting chakra of the demon sealed in his stomach.

But none came. Naruto's eyes widened as he felt a tangible barrier between him and even his normal chakra – the power was just _there_, barely beyond his reach, seething beneath an alien surface that repelled all blows he tried to land on it. "What're you-" He focused his glare on Karin, whose face was drawn but satisfied. Her smirk only widened.

"I've suppressed your chakra – and I have to say, I'm impressed by how much you have. But it won't due you any good now. As long as I'm conscious and close by you, you won't even be able to walk on water."

Naruto stared at her, the first tingle of fear starting in his fingertips.

(_not possible... only a Sharingan...!_)

Karin laughed, red hair flowing prettily in the breeze. She sounded just like Sakura after besting him at training, but the difference between the two women could not have been greater. Bracing his entire body, Naruto leaped forward, unable to use his arms because of the bindings, but lashing out with his feet. As Suigetsu shouted in surprise and reached forward to grab him, Naruto's heel crashed into her nose, an audible crack sounding throughout the clearing. Then Juugo's spade-like hands were grasped firmly around his shoulders, and Suigetsu's arm was reaching out in a vicious backhand across his face, and his world exploded with pain.

When he shook himself into consciousness a few minutes later, voices were hurling fast paced words at each other again around him.

"This is a waste of time. Let's get moving."

"Are you kidding?!" Karin's voice sounded blocked somehow, and Naruto opened his eyes with satisfaction to see blood leaking out through her fingers as green healing chakra surrounded her face. "Juugo, carrying this kid around is what's a waste of time. Let's get the goddamn info out of him and dump the body. We can cover our tracks after that."

"Yeah, we can all see how successful your interrogation was." Suigetsu snapped, fingers drumming against the hilt of his sword..

"Hey, it's only because of _me _that he's out of commission for battle. If I hadn't developed the suppression jutsu, you'd probably be dead." Karin removed her hands from her face, revealing her repaired nose and shooting a venomous glare at Naruto.

Suigetsu scowled. "Yeah, yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Come on, we don't have all day." He rounded on Juugo. "Look, I'd love to spend the time playing with knives to get it out of him, I really would, but currently we have about ten Konoha shinobi on our trail who all seem to want this loser back. There's no time to sit around talking. Let's just take him to pretty-boy. _He'll _be able to get any information we need out of this one."

"No, we shouldn't bother him with something as trivial as this." Karin put in worriedly, and Naruto noted with a hint of satisfaction that this group's teamwork was worse than Team 7's had been at the start of their training. "You know how his temper gets sometimes, especially after-" She cut herself off, with a sideways glance at Naruto.

Juugo was quiet for a minute. Finally, he unfolded himself from his cross-legged position and stood. "Karin, how far away are the Konoha shinobi?"

The woman put a finger to her lips, eyes searching blindly through the treetops. "Half an hour." Reluctantly, she added, "I _could _cover our trail if I had too, but along with the chakra-repressing jutsu, I won't be able to do much more than crawl."

"Well, we could always leave you behind." Suigetsu suggested hopefully.

Juugo held up a massive hand to quell the resulting argument. "The information could be important, and I'd prefer not to use torture in any case." He looked down at Naruto's form dispassionately. The blond held his breath. "We'll take him back to the base. I'll carry him, since you left him in no state to even walk." With this, he frowned at Suigetsu. The latter put up his hands defensively.

"Hey, is it _my _fault that neither of you pussies could take him out in the fort? I just wanted to make sure he didn't run away again."

One of Juugo's eyelids flicked with irritation, and he added dryly, "And since you're so capable, you can have the honor of carrying Karin."

Naruto decided that despite having nearly choked him to death, he rather liked Juugo.

"Oh _hell _no." Suigetsu and Karin said at the simultaneously, glaring at each other. Naruto had to bite back a laugh, despite the unpromising situation and pain flowing through his body. At this rate, his friends would catch up to them in no time. His mirth soon subsided, though, as Juugo loomed over them both. Although the giant maintained a gentle tone, there was something sharp and sinister just beneath it.

"Listen up, you two. The only reason I was put in charge of this operation was because you two are extremely volatile when working together, which is almost _laughable _considering my own situation. Now, every moment away from the base and the person who can keep me under control is one more moment that I could potentially kill all of you without a second thought. So. Suigetsu, _carry her and stop complaining. _Karin, cover our trail and keep suppressing his chakra." Juugo reached down and flipped Naruto over his shoulder with a grunt. Naruto hissed in pain and gritted his teeth. From a few feet away, he could hear the rustle of clothing as Karin was hoisted onto Suigetsu's back, the latter muttering under his breath.

"And he calls _us _volatile. Why the hell did dickwad sent us out here with him, anyways? What happens if he turns all curse-marky on us?"

Naruto strained to hear the rest of the conversation as Juugo and Suigetsu leaped into the trees and began to run so fast the the world was a green blur. Fortunately, his hearing and eyesight had only improved over the years... to the point where Sakura had examined them thoroughly out of concern and announced that it must be the influence of the Kyuubi. Even now, with the wind rushing through his ears and the slow, deep breaths of the man carrying him, snatches of conversation reached him.

"It's risky, but I can suppress _his_ chakra too, if I have to." Karin whispered, adding reproachfully, "And don't call him dickwad! _Or _pretty-boy. He has a name, you know."

"Gosh, thanks for enlightening me. I had _no _idea."

"You really are a total dick."

"At least I _have _one, unlike your precious _Sas-_ arrg! You goddamn bitch, those don't grow back! Stop that or I'll drop you all fifty feet to the ground!"

Juugo sighed, glancing over his shoulder as they continued to bicker, but said nothing. Naruto gave him a weak nudge and said with a bloody grin, "It's like they're made for each other, eh?"

The giant snorted. "It's occurred to me before, but they'd probably kill each other before the week was out."

"It looks like they might do that anyways. Are you like the only sane one in the group or something?" Naruto asked, and was surprised when Juugo burst into peals of (_bitter?_) laughter. Slung over his back, the blond could feel his chest buzzing with the sound until Juugo calmed down, with the occasional chuckle slipping past his lips.

"You're the one who's insane, little boy. Surely you know that one of us is likely to kill you before the day is out. Why are you even talking to me?"

Naruto frowned through his haze of pain. "I'm bored, and there's nothing I can do about this whole thing right now." Juugo made a disbelieving sound, and Naruto gave a small shrug against his back. "My friends will come kick your ass in a few minutes anyways."

"We'll see about that." Juugo muttered with a hint of a smile, and looked sideways to the disgruntled Karin and grinning Suigetsu. "Are our tracks covered?"

She gave a terse nod. "Nobody will be coming this way for quite some time." Naruto's heart plummeted through his ribcage, and as they continued to discuss various tactics to stay hidden, grimly debated his chances of escaping. Viewed from any angle, they were slim – with that bitch repressing his chakra and serious damage to most of his body, he was as helpless After several minutes, he had noticed that there was no feeling in his left leg, where Karin's knife had gashed him. Poison? And above it all, every movement sent a shriek of pain through his head... Naruto doubted that he'd be able to run more more than ten minutes without keeling over. He tried again to reach his chakra, feel the tingling sensation of power through his veins, but was met with only harsh resistance. Karin glanced at him fiercely, as if feeling the attempt.

"Stop that, idiot. It's no use."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her, and hurled his will against the jutsu, feeling the shield between him and his chakra bend and flex under the pressure. Karin blanched, face draining of blood. A muscle twitched in her jaw as Naruto felt the separation snap back into place, and he noted with interest how her body sagged against Suigetsu's after the replenishing.

"Do that again and you won't wake up for a week." She hissed.

"What, scared I'll break through?" Naruto taunted, blood beading on his cracked lips as he smiled at her worried expression. A sudden rush hit his head, though, making it spin. The attempt had drained what little energy he had left, and making sure to keep the confident smile in place, he resolved to try it again when she wasn't expecting it.

"Knock it off." Juugo sighed at them both. "Karin, save your energy. He's not a threat at the moment. And kid... she's not joking, either, so you shut up too."

Naruto leaned his chin on Juugo's shoulder and spoke into his ear. "Hey, you still didn't answer my question. Are you secretly crazy or something?"

"Aren't we all?" The giant chuckled. "No offense, but you don't seem to be all there either. Provoking any of us isn't a great idea."

"Forgive me for not sitting down and taking it." Naruto said bitingly. "I can handle whatever you throw at me."

Juugo shook his head in disbelief. "That kind of talk would get you chosen for the next experiment where I'm from."

"And where's that?" Naruto tilted his head, the pressure in his head making the action taxing.

His captor didn't answer for a minute, and had slipped into a colder tone of voice when he actually did. "That's irrelevant. I shouldn't be talking to a prisoner. Go to sleep, little boy."

"Fine, fine, gotta act tough. Don't worry, I understand... have a good friend who's just like that, actually... won't understand that you don't have to do everything alone..." Naruto made no more attempts at conversation, and soon fell into a light sleep that was punctuated by the throbbing of his head and the occasional jolt from landing too hard on a branch.

_aaa_

Naruto woke for the third time that... (_day? week? who knew?) _with a raging thirst as his captors took a short break in another, almost identical clearing. He had been pushed roughly against a tree, hands still tied against his back.

"Water." He heard himself croak involuntarily, but forced himself to say nothing more. Either they would give it to him, or they wouldn't. No use in begging or threatening.

To his surprise, he felt someone lift a canister to his lips, and opened his eyes to see a weary-looking Juugo holding a small cup to his mouth. Naruto drank greedily, rivulets sliding down his chin, and nodded a small thanks. He thought he saw Juugo smile in return, but wasn't sure.

"You shouldn't do that." Suigetsu scowled from his backpack, rubbing his neck and tossing Karin a packet of food. "You'll only strengthen him for interrogation."

"Just look at him, Su. The poor guy's had it." Juugo reprimanded softly, and nudged Naruto's shoulder. "What's your name, anyways, kid?"

Naruto coughed, and said with a hint of his usual pride, "Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki."

Suigetsu whirled from rummaging through his pack, a strange gleam in his eye. "_Naruto_? Really? As in, the one the Naruto Bridge is named after?" When the blond nodded hesitantly, the violet-eyed man burst into loud laughter, leaning against a tree as he shook with amusement.

"What's so funny?" Naruto demanded as Suigetsu grasped at a branch, doubling over as he was wracked with laughter.

"Oh, man, that is too rich... of all the shinobi in Konoha, we happen to pick up _Naruto Uzumaki_... what are the odds... oh, he's gonna love this..." He broke into a wide grin.

"What the hell are you on, Suigetsu?" Karin sneered from her own tree, dark circles under her eyes. "Who is this kid?"

"Would you people stop calling me that! You're only like a year older than me!" Naruto growled, and was promptly ignored by everyone.

"Oh, he's no one important..." Suigetsu replied, eyes practically dancing with glee. "Let's go. I want to see the reaction when we get back to headquarters."

Juugo shook his head in a resigned way and hoisted Naruto onto his back, the blond protesting loudly. "Well, let's get going then. Move out, everyone." He glanced at Karin. "And make sure you don't fall asleep. We don't want the suppression jutsu to end."

"Don't worry... I'll take care of it." Suigetsu grinned menacingly, looking like he was having the time of his life as Karin shrieked her displeasure.

_aaa_

Naruto had no idea how long they traveled through forest after identical forest, but it was at least several hours later before his captors began to slow, eventually coming to a direct halt at the edge of the forest, where a small stone hut was nestled between to gigantic oak trees. A stream babbled aimlessly nearby, and dappled evening sun shone through the branches of the surrounding trees, bathing the area in warm light. It might have even been picturesque, Naruto decided, if they weren't going to try and kill him in that very same hut soon. The notion was decidedly worrying, especially since Karin had reported that the Konoha shinobi had lost their trail, but Naruto resisted the onset of fear that ate at his stomach. He had been in worse fixes, he reminded himself, although he was hard pressed to think of them at the moment. If all else failed, well... as distasteful as they were, Naruto had methods to restore his chakra. The seal could always be loosened, even though he shuddered at the thought of the demon invading more of his mind.

It wasn't a great plan, and the consequences would be dire, but really... what other choice did he have?

His thoughts were interrupted as Juugo swung him off his shoulders and placed him gently on the ground.

"Can you walk?" The man said briskly, though in a rather kind way. Naruto shrugged, taken aback by the tone.

"Only one way to find out." He said with a wink, took a step forward, and fell flat on his face into the soft grass before the hut. Juugo chuckled softly (..._the hell? aren't you supposed to be breaking my arms or something?_) and slid his arms under Naruto, lifting him up. Karin was not receiving such careful treatment – Suigetsu dumped her unceremoniously on the ground and stormed into the hut, muttering under his breath. She stood up and dusted herself off, swaying a bit in the chilly air.

"Are you alright?" Juugo asked, the same concerned tone permeating his voice.

"I'm fine." She snapped tersely. "Let's just get inside."

Heavily supported by Juugo – almost like a friend, what a weird situation – Naruto was half dragged, half carried over the wooden threshold of the hut...

...dumped on the floor in front of a sickeningly familiar black cloak with red clouds...

_..._(_they're Akatsuki after all oh shit I'm gonna die_)_..._

...and then quietly captured by the pale, hardened face of Sasuke Uchiha.

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**Hope you enjoyed! 'Till next time, then :)**


	2. Bonds

**Title**: Daybreak**  
Chapter Title**: Broken Bonds**  
Summary**: _Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning_. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks. **  
Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within, to my regret. Many thanks to the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto.

**Author's Note**: Not quite so much action in this chapter, but it'll be back soon. Thanks to those who have reviewed! :)

* * *

**Daybreak**

**Chapter 2**

Silence beat at Naruto's ears, interrupted only by a stifled guffaw from Suigetsu in the background as he looked at the frozen pair. His mind buzzed with several hundred thousand thoughts and visceral emotions that tightened his body, threw everything into sudden focus for a second.

(_he's wearing akatsuki robes nonononono he can't be one of them_)

But he _was_, Naruto saw as he desperately searched Sasuke for a reaction. The cloak fit him perfectly, a dark mantle of power caressing his shoulders and gently fluttering to the ground in waves and waves of red clouds against a tapestry of faded black. Naruto swallowed, a bitter taste at the back of his throat. How many people had been killed under that banner of crimson and black, in the name of power? Power, something Sasuke had always sought with an unquenchable, paranoid thirst. This blatant mark of it gave Sasuke's normally detached air a tinge of cruelty that made the pit of his stomach twinge uncomfortably. He was chillingly reminded of the time...

(_when, in one of his more sombre moments, jirayia had raised his face to the blood-stained evening sky and dryly muttered a childhood rhyme, hands hovering by the crimson tattoos marking his face._

Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning.

What the heck does that mean? _naruto had demanded, jerking his thumb up at the heavens, where purple and red wisps of cloud were bleeding together to form a sea of pink and crimson. _They look pretty cool to me.

_jirayia had merely grunted, eyes narrowed against the dying rays of the sun. _

Ah, nothing. Just an old warrior's superstition. Something my grandfather used to say. I wouldn't place anything by it.

_naruto had grinned and punched his shoulder, his arm so short it could barely reach the top of his sensei's bulky torso. _Talking to yourself, then? You're going senile, old man.

Shut up, brat.

_still, he had been restless for hours afterwards, and when they were ambushed by bandits around midnight, the old man had dispatched them before naruto had even scrambled off the ground. they both had looked at the dark blood pooled around the back of each man's head where he lay against the forest floor, and said nothing. the coincidence had not been lost on either of them._)

Now, Naruto looked at the stony, dispassionate countenance of his friend and wondered with a shudder who the blood would be shed from in this encounter. He could feel his own pulsing just under his wrists and neck, roaring through his ears as he gazed at Sasuke, pricking his skin like white-hot needles. Slowly, almost timidly, he raised his eyes to meet Sasuke's own, and for a brief moment the steady pulse of agony that thrummed with the beat of his heart faded away, replaced by a steady, slow burn across his chest that Naruto was too afraid to identify... because smoldering suddenly in those formerly calm eyes was an anger of such ferocious intensity that he could almost feel it scorching his face with its heat. Whether it was directed at him, Itachi, Juugo and the others... Naruto couldn't tell, but it was immediately obvious that something here was very, very wrong.

That cloak, for starters. Naruto didn't even want to begin addressing the sense of betrayal that bubbled through him at the sight of its evil worn so proudly by his friend. Or the steady rush of _(angerreliefjoyconfusion_) emotion that was pounding at his head like the tide coming in. Or the sheer force of the _hatred _that Sasuke was looking at him with, those dark eyes like a bottomless chasm in a barren desert.

There was so much that needed to be said. Naruto wet his cracked lips nervously, opened his mouth for the first stream of words to come pouring out, and-

Sasuke blinked, and it was a slate being wiped clean. The venom in his eyes faded, faded, and he flicked his eyes over to Juugo, standing in the corner with a wary look on his face.

"Sasuke-" Naruto began, the word cracking, but he was studiously ignored by the Uchiha, who addressed Juugo loudly.

"Explain." He ordered crisply, and Naruto winced to hear the steely tone.

"Sasuke, it's me!" Naruto pressed, the words rasping against his damaged throat.

Sasuke's mouth twisted downwards for a split second. "I specifically said no prisoners, Juugo."

"Oh, are you just going to ignore me?" The blond spat a gob of blood onto the floor and tugged furiously at the ropes binding his hands. "And people always seemed to think that _I _was the immature one."

The bindings held firm, and all he got was a new tingle of pain as another layer of skin sleuthed off his wrists. Suigetsu chuckled, leaning down to tighten the ropes further so that Naruto's hands couldn't move.

"Stop squirming, kid. You really are determined to inflict as much pain on yourself as possible, aren't you?"

(_that's my specialty_)

"Fuck you." He tossed back to Suigetsu, who just grinned, then turned his eyes back to the Uchiha. "Sasuke. We need to talk."

The raven's mouth set in a firm line as he stared at Juugo. "_Especially _prisoners from Konoha."

"I'm sorry, Sasuke." The big man said in a neutral tone, eyes cast slightly downward in a sign of deferring to an authority. The raven's left hand clenched, what little blood there was draining out until you could see through to the soft bones underneath.

"Sasuke, please." Naruto said quietly, feeling the steady pound of blood beating at his temples and the pressure points in his wrists. It figured that this was what it was going to come down to. "_Please_. Please look at me."

There was another lengthy silence as he felt the eyes of Juugo, Suigetsu and Karin rest on him, their looks varying from pity to contempt to open hostility. Sasuke didn't bat an eyelid, continuing to face his companions with icy reproach.

"Juugo, I want that explanation _now._"

Lesser men probably would have curled up into a fetal ball at the acidic bite in Sasuke's voice, but to his credit, Juugo completely ignored it. "They knew we were coming, Sasuke. I don't know how they knew, or why they would even know we existed yet, but somehow they did. We almost ran into an ambush right outside the fort, but managed to avoid it just in time. Tsunade sent _three _squads, and you know how short Konoha is on men at the moment. She obviously knew what we were after."

"So we captured this one for interrogation." Karin finished for him, and glared at Suigetsu after he barked a laugh and added, "Yeah, _after_ he managed to nearly take you out of the game."

"Suigetsu, I swear to god-" Karin's cheeks pinkened as Sasuke looked at her disapprovingly, and she snapped her mouth shut.

Juugo sighed. "Anyways, we covered our tracks. Nobody knows our location, or that of the scroll's. It was a ultimately a success. As for him..." He waved a hand at Naruto, who merely tried to capture Sasuke's attention once again. "He says his name is Naruto Uzumaki or somesuch." His eyes flickered between the two. "I take it you know each other."

Naruto could feel the curious gaze of the other three on him, and wondered in a sort of daze if Sasuke was as tight-lipped about his past with these new friends than he was with Team 7. There was silence for a moment, probably as the raven decided just how much to share.

"We... we did, once. He's nothing to me now." Sasuke said finally, and Naruto felt that crack in his heart that had remained after the Valley of the End split open just a little bit wider. "I'm surprised they even sent him on a mission of any importance. Konoha really must be suffering from a lack of proper shinobi. That's good to know."

So. That was it. All those stifling summer nights, lying awake with the blankets kicked off the bed, wondering how Sasuke felt about him now, if anything had changed... every moment in training, wondering how Sasuke would react to _this _move, the idea of what he would say if he saw Naruto fail at any new technique spurring him on... the countless times when he and Sakura had walked down the street a shoulder's width apart, painfully conscious of the absence of Sasuke's feet clattering on the cobblestones between them... that was it, all that he could say.

(_i'm nothing to him, still just _nothing)

Hot, blinding anger rose like bile in Naruto's throat, and he struggled to his feet, feeling blood from his leg wound course steadily down his leg, saw the world tilt around him.

"Come on, Sasuke, after all these years you still have to put me down as soon as you see me?" He snarled, a little voice at the back of his aching head lamenting the fact that _this _was going to be their grand reunion. Completely missing the surprised (and reluctant) admiration in Suigetsu and Juugo's eyes, he forced himself to look Sasuke in the face, felt grim satisfaction at the slightly taken aback expression.

"We're teammates... no, more than that. _Best friends. _How can you just look straight through me?" White asterisks danced in front of his eyes, but Naruto continued through gritted teeth.

"You... you know what I am... what's inside of me." He placed a hand over his stomach, over the seal that lurked just under his skin. Something was wrong with him – color was beginning to leech away from his surroundings, darkness rising from the bottom of his eyeballs. "And you joined the _Akatsuki_?! The organization that slaughters people like me for their own stupid reasons? The _same organization _that Itachi Uchiha is a part of?"

Naruto's legs collapsed beneath him, and the impact as he hit the floor jarred something in his ribs loose. Still, he roughly yanked his head up to growl at his friend. "_Why? _Why would you do something like that?"

The sheer force of the perceived betrayal was all that was keeping him from unconsciousness, and given his situation, Naruto wasn't entirely sure that if he slipped into sleep he would ever wake up.

Sasuke's fingers twitched for an instant, and he made almost no noise as he stepped carefully over to Naruto and crouched down, cupping the blond's chin in his pale hand and tipping it up until their eyes locked once more. A secret shiver jolted down his spine, but the nauseous feeling in his stomach returned three-fold as Naruto saw the murderous, flaring rage that boiled quietly, contained behind Sasuke's still features. The emotion whitened his face until his dark eyes stood out like space itself, cold and forbidding and infinite all at once.

"Never," Sasuke hissed, so quietly that Naruto could barely hear him, "_Never _mention my brother again, Naruto Uzumaki, host of the Kyuubi..." His lip curled, and Naruto's own mouth drew back in a slight snarl, "...and all-around failure. You are not worthy enough to speak his name. No one from Konoha is."

He shoved Naruto away and stood up, terrible against the pale sunlight that filtered in from the stone windows of the hut. After a few moments of quietly gazing at the ceiling, he turned to address the rest of his team. Naruto struggled onto his knees, needing something to do, something to focus on while his stomach writhed and chin tingled from Sasuke's touch. The words ricocheted off the inside of his skull. It had sounded... it had almost sounded as though he had _liked _Itachi...

"You three were incredibly wise, or lucky, to choose this particular shinobi to capture."

Looking a bit pale after the unexpected display of Sasuke's temper, Suigetsu spoke, hand reaching behind him to grasp the hilt of the great sword strapped to his back. "Should I interrogate him, then? It should only take a few minutes to break him in _that _condition."

"No." Sasuke looked down at his injured teammate, and Naruto allowed himself to hope that maybe, _maybe_, his words had somehow gotten through.

"I know for a fact that he can resist torture. In any case, what he knows is unimportant."

Karin scowled. "So we lugged him all the way from the Land of Fire for nothing?" She glanced sideways at Juugo. "I _told _you it was a bad idea!"

"Be quiet, Karin." Sasuke said, fingers trailing along one of the seams on his cloak. "I didn't say it was a bad thing. This shinobi happens to be the vessel for the Kyuubi, and is therefore very useful to us."

Suigetsu burst into raucous laughter once more. "A Jinchuuriki? That would definitely explain the weird chakra. You're just full of surprises!" He said gleefully to Naruto, who lacked the drive to even flip him off. He could see where this was going, but prayed to whatever god there was that he was wrong. Sasuke wouldn't do that. Even after all the years and blood between them, even with that hatred that he had just seen in his face, even though revenge had obviously driven his friend to the brink to snapping, Sasuke wouldn't hand him over to the Akatsuki to die. No. It just wasn't an option, incompatible with reality.

"I see." Juugo muttered, looking unhappy. "Then we can bring him to Pain and Madara."

Sasuke nodded. "Exactly. This will make up for the... error... we made with the Hachibi. We can demand resources from the Akatsuki to aid us in attacking the village while we're there."

(_that's sasuke, always thinking practically_)

"Y-you can't!" Naruto coughed, looking up at Sasuke desperately. "Sasuke... you're not going to hand me over to those people like some sort of monster, are you? To _Itachi_? After all we've been through?"

Perhaps he did feel something after all, because Sasuke steadily refused to meet his eyes as he answered. Of course, Naruto reflected bitterly, that could also be because he didn't even see him as a person anymore.

"I've told you, Naruto. We have no bonds. You are nothing to me. If handing you to the Akatsuki will further my plans, then yes, I will do it." He paused, voice sounding rather strangled. "Itachi is no longer in this world, if that provides any consolation. You'll be going to people much fouler than him."

_(...)_

Before Naruto could force any more words (_anything, say _anything) out of his bruised mouth, Sasuke turned once more to Juugo. "You're in charge. Get some rest and prepare to leave at dawn tomorrow. I'll be back in a few hours."

_(...)_

"Wait, where are you going?" Karin asked, reaching out to touch his arm as he swept towards the door. Sasuke shook her off briskly, answering with a curt, "Out."

_(...)_

"Sasuke, you only just got back from your mission too, you look exhausted..."

"Don't pretend to care, Karin. It's unbecoming."

The sound of the door slamming vibrated through the entire hut.

(_..._)

__

aaa  


There was the kind of quiet that follows in the wake of an argument. Karin looked crestfallen, and Juugo's mouth was pressed into a thin line.

"Who pissed in _his _cereal?" Suigetsu demanded, scowling. "I've never seen Sasuke that fucked off in my life."

"I imagine it has something to do with _him_." Juugo nodded at Naruto, who stared at the ceiling without really seeing it. He felt numb in every sense of the word, and merely listened as the three talked in subdued voices, noticing absently that he couldn't really move anymore. Somehow, this didn't seem as important as it had a few minutes earlier.

"There's obviously some history between them that we don't know about." Karin kept her voice down for once.

"Yeah, and what do you want to bet that he'll never tell us?" Suigetsu griped, swinging his backpack onto a cot in the corner and collapsing into it with a groan. "I mean, Sasuke's a cool guy, but you've gotta admit he has serious communication issues."

"He's just a private person." She snapped at him. "He'll tell us when he's ready."

Suigetsu waved her off irritably. "Whatever. It looks like they haven't talked in a while. I mean, the kid didn't even know that Itachi was dead."

"Yeah, that's kind of weird. I'm not looking forward to going back to Akatsuki headquarters, though. Those guys freak the hell out of me." Karin sank into a chair, rubbing her temples.

Juugo frowned at them both. "If you two are done gossiping, we have to more work to do before we can rest. Suigetsu, please make up a bed for Naruto. We can't just let him lie on the floor."

"What am I, a maid?"

"Just do it. Karin, I know you're exhausted and I hate to ask you this, but I really need to stay awake and keep repressing his chakra. Now that we know he's a Jinchuuriki, we need to count him as twice as dangerous."

She blanched slightly, purple bags standing out starkly against her face, but clicked her teeth shut and nodded, sending Naruto a venomous glare that he might have responded to with a cheeky grin a couple hours ago. Instead, he just shrugged at her and went back to staring at the ceiling. It was kind of funny, really, how they were probably going to go all-out in order to contain him. He didn't feel like he could even throw a punch. Fucking Sasuke. He was the only person who could ever have this kind of effect on him.

In the middle of tossing a heap of blankets in a roughly bed-like shape underneath the window, Suigetsu looked over at the weary Karin with a slight (_concerned? no, can't be_) frown.

"Is she gonna have to do that the entire trip, Juugo? It's a two week journey, there's no way she's gonna be able to keep that up."

"Watch me, asshole." Karin snarled at him before the other man could reply, her cheeks flushing. "If that's what Sasuke needs done, I'll do it."

Naruto could just imagine the man rolling his violet eyes. "You're a lost case, Karin. What the hell is wrong with the method we used for the Hachibi? Just keep him knocked out until we get there."

"Dumbass. If we hit him another time, he's probably going to die from a hernia." She sounded irritated. "The Kyuubi is known for giving accelerated powers of healing to its host, but since I'm repressing the chakra, it's not going to work."

Naruto dimly registered this extremely bad news with a blink. It was true, he realized – the normal writhing of red chakra through his veins, the gritty slither wherever he was injured as the muscle knitted itself back together... it was gone. That was probably a really bad sign. He should really be concerned about that. But caring would mean expending energy, and he was running on empty. It was Sasuke's fault, that stupid, stuck-up, selfish bastard.

Seeing Suigetsu's brows draw together, Juugo offered a reassuring smile. "We'll find a way to keep it up, Su. Don't worry about her."

"_I'm not worried!_" Suigetsu spat to the room in general, two pink spots flaring in his angular cheekbones, and stomped across the room to drag Naruto across the floor to the pile of blankets. The blond grimaced at the touch of his cold, clammy hands, but couldn't muster the enthusiasm to complain as his battered body was hauled across the rough floor.

"There you go. Sleep well, have a good trance, whatever it is you goddamn Jinchuuriki do at night, and try not to piss Sasuke off too much again or he'll probably kill us all."

"We fucking sleep like everyone else, idiot." Naruto muttered, eyes already sliding shut, not caring that the bedsheets were slowly becoming soaked with a small sea of red, or that his captors could likely see the hot tears were slowly leaking out from under his closed eyelids, or that in two weeks he would be in the deadly clutches of the Akatsuki. The image of Sasuke's haunted, horrifying eyes was burnt into his retinas, and it seemed that they were the only things worth caring about at the moment.

_aaa_

He dreamed the dreams of the sick, with too-bright colors and dissonant sounds and sticky sweat covering him in a fine film. He dreamed of-

(_the cruel smiles of the akatsuki, tall figures shrouded in shadow and blood stroking his hair with greedy, grasping fingers, _

_and..._

_shikamaru's frown during the mission, brilliant bruises across his face from the failed ambush darkening as he issued new orders, _

_and... _

_of the time when he and sakura wished on stars... _

I wish I could see Sasuke again_, both of them had said silently and known in their special way just what the other was thinking. _I wish I had one more chance to bring him back_... _

_and..._

_a red-washed sky, and the star they had wished on streaking across it, _drowning _in it._

Be careful what you wish for_, jirayia had joked once with a grin and a wink. _I wished for big tits and got saddled with Tsunade.

_be careful what you wish for._

_red clouds take warning. bloodshed by morning._)

* * *

**Hope you liked... next update will hopefully be soon :)**


	3. Escape

**Title**: Daybreak**  
Chapter Title**: Broken Bonds**  
Summary**: _Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning_. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks. **  
Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within, to my regret. Many thanks to the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto.

**Author's Note**: Forgive me for the long wait... this was not a chapter that wrote itself, unfortunately. In something completely unrelated, what does everyone think of the recent manga chapters? I'm getting seriously worried about whether Sasuke can actually be redeemed at this point.

Reviews/critique are welcome!

* * *

**Daybreak**

**Chapter 3**

Naruto had never been praised as a fast learner, but he very quickly learned that there were three all-encompassing rules when dealing with Team Hawk.

_Rule 1: Do not, under any circumstances, interfere with an argument between Suigetsu and Karin._

Naruto had been unfortunate enough to break this within the first six hours of setting out the next morning ("Arrg, this is like reading one of Sakura's stupid soft-core novels! Just shut up and make out already!"), and had spent the rest of the day nursing a bloody nose and two black eyes on top of his other injuries.

_Rule 2: Do not, under any circumstances, bring up Orochimaru or anything related to the Sound Village._

Doing so on the second morning since his capture had made Karin go silent, put Suigetsu into an appalling mood that involved snapping at everyone and taking particular pleasure in hitting Naruto if he spoke too loud, and had made the muscles on Juugo's back tense so much that a fresh ream of bruises had blossomed across the front of Naruto's chest from being carried on it. Sasuke's face had closed up like a clam, which was how Naruto knew that any further prying would likely end in another injury.

There were certain subjects which were under a mutual agreement in Team Hawk to not talk about. Which brought him to the last rule.

_Rule 3: Do not, ever, under any circumstances whatsoever, even _think _about mentioning Itachi Uchiha. _

Asking Karin about him made her lips tighten and voice go extra high pitched. "That's none of your business! I'm not going to betray Sasuke's trust in me for _you_."

When he had pushed farther, she gagged him for the rest of the morning.

Suigetsu had laughed his trademark laugh, full and tinged with mockery. "Why would I tell you? That would take all the fun out of it! I dare you to go ask him to his face."

Confronting Juugo had merely ended in the man regarding him with quiet eyes. "I apologize, but that's not my story to tell. You should ask Sasuke himself."

Doing that, though, would have required Naruto to actually face the raven, and that was something that his roiling stomach had informed him he was not yet ready to do. Thinking about Sasuke even at the best of times meant skirting around a tangled mess of feelings in the pit of his gut, and the recent betrayal colored the world red whenever he caught a glimpse of his friend. If he could be called that anymore. Sasuke had not talked to him either, and thus the two days after the confrontation in the hut mainly consisted of the two young men steadfastly ignoring one another while trying to put Juugo, Suigetsu and Karin between themselves at all time.

_aaa_

They left absurdly early each morning, taking breaks every couple of hours. Naruto had once again been slung across Juugo's back without any bindings, apparently thought of as too weak to pose any threat. The assumption made him grind his teeth, although he had to admit that he could have barely walked, even if threatened. Deep bags had formed under Karin's eyes from the strain of using her jutsu, and whenever they rested she grabbed a few minutes sleep while Suigetsu and Juugo stood guard over Naruto, who decided after a first and ill-fated attempt that he would need a better moment to escape.

And so the hours passed.

"So." Naruto drawled into Juugo's ear as he watched the unending scenery drag by. "You're a pretty nice guy."

Juugo's lips twisted, as if enjoying some sort of private joke. "Am I really."

"Well, nicer than this lot." Naruto jerked his thumb at the others, tanned digit wavering around as he pondered whether to include Sasuke in that particular group.

"You'd be surprised." The other man muttered, shoulders hunching slightly.

"How'd you end up working for the Akatsuki?"

"I don't _work _for them." Juugo scowled, the word sounding ashen in his mouth. "I'm on Sasuke's team, and he wanted to ally with them, so it couldn't be helped. I do what Sasuke asks me to do, nothing else."

Naruto latched onto the admission. "And how'd you end up on Sasuke's team?"

"I was recruited." A warning tone. Naruto ignored it. He'd had enough of unanswered questions.

"When?"

"Do you ever shut up?" Juugo asked, exasperation lacing his voice.

"You'd have to beat me worse than this to make _me _quiet." Naruto mock-boasted with a grin, gesturing to his battered face and useless leg. Briefly, through the dappled shadow of branches shifting across Juugo's cheek, he thought he saw the man wince.

"Yeah, about that. We don't usually treat prisoners like this." He muttered. "You just struggle more than usual."

Naruto felt what little cheer he had mustered go down the drain. "It doesn't matter." He said after a minute. "Considering where you're bringing me, _this _is a piece of cake."

In all reality, he didn't think he'd been in this much physical pain (_emotional too, don't forget that, sasuke you bastard_) for a long time. Since the Valley of the End, maybe. But even then, he'd been able to rely on the Kyuubi's hot chakra to repair what needed to be fixed, to set the splinters in his bones and the teeth back into place, to smooth over burns and stitch over fissures in the skin. Sakura had warned him time and again of what using that power was going to do to his lifespan, but it was almost involuntary at this point – the line between him and the Kyuubi was growing ever thinner, and there were times in the darkest parts of the night when he could feel it shifting at the bottom of his dreams. Now, though if he cast out his mind to the very end of the line he could vaguely discern the hulking form of the gate down the corridors of his consciousness, no power was going to seep through the barrier put in place by Karin. His wounds were healing as slowly as any normal person's would have done, and he was finding it very unsettling.

Juugo had been quiet for a while, and Naruto had begun to count the trees passing by thinking the conversation had ended, but eventually the giant man said something that nearly caused him to fall off in shock.

"I can't think of many worse fates than being sent to the Akatsuki. I'm sorry for having to bring you there, kid."

"Then let me go." Naruto said softly, glancing at the other three shinobi, who seemed at the moment to be lost in their own little worlds. "You obviously don't think this is right."

A soft (_bitter again, what the hell is this dude's problem?_) laugh rumbled out of Juugo. "You don't understand me at all, little boy. This is what Sasuke wants, and I'll follow him anywhere."

"Why?" Naruto demanded, feeling an angry flush begin on his neck. "Why is he so important to you? Are you so indebted to him that you're willing to send innocent people off to their deaths at the hands of madmen?"

Juugo grunted. "From the sounds of your argument at the hut, you'd be willing to do the same for him."

Naruto opened and closed his mouth several times, the flush reaching his cheeks and forehead, brightening his eyes in an unhealthy sheen.

(_never! never in a million years!_)

_(...)_

(_...maybe. for sasuke. maybe._)

He dismissed the thought with a vigorous shake of the head and leaned into Juugo's ear. "Do you know what the Akatsuki do to people like me?"

"They kill you for your Bijuu." Stoic. Cold. This was a man who would not hesitate to kill if he thought the person deserved it. However, Naruto thought as he remembered the kindness that sometimes warmed his eyes, the extended hand of subtle friendship exhibited to him so many times... he did not like to see pain in others.

"You're goddamn right they do. I talked to Gaara, the one that got away. They suck our souls right out of our mouths, like some sort of alien. He said it was the worst pain in the world, like razor glass is being rubbed on the inside of your veins and you can't even scream to let it out."

"Stop." Juugo said, slowing down a little, voice shaking.

"He said that the inside of his lungs were scraped raw by his demon, that he could _feel_ his stomach lining disintegrate as it passed out of him."

"Shut up, kid! I don't believe you."

Naruto kept whispering, the hooded look in Gaara's eyes so many months ago as he described the ordeal making it all the easier to keep the words flowing out of his mouth. "He said the very worst part was that they didn't _care_. And I've seen that for myself. They think we're experiments. Animals, just waiting to give way to what's inside of us. That we can't be better than that."

"Sometimes, you can't be better then what's inside you." Juugo mumbled, and the sudden vulnerability on his face made Naruto open his mouth angrily.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Whatever's inside of you-"

Both of them felt the prickle on the back of their necks at the exact same time. Naruto turned his head slightly and felt his skin catch on fire as he saw that Sasuke's eyes had finally looked his way, and was regarding both him and Juugo with a gaze of calculation that made him want to punch the stupid bastard in the face.

"Let's take a break." The leader of Hawk said quietly, and other three members of the group dropped to the forest floor without a moment's hesitation.

_aaa_

Naruto was in his usual position when they rested – that was, pushed up against a tree with his hands tied, Juugo and Suigetsu flanking him. Karin slumped in a colorful heap at the foot of a great oak tree and used her backpack as a pillow, quiet for once.

Sasuke stood and motioned to a corner of the clearing. "Juugo, I need to talk to you. Suigetsu, watch him."

He referred to Naruto as 'him' or 'the prisoner' now. The other three members of the team had taken it into stride and had not questioned it, asking little about the blond, although Naruto could see the curiosity in their eyes. He wondered if it was because they were scared of Sasuke, or knew him well enough to realize that leaving the whole thing alone would be easier. A trifle jealously, he hoped it was the former.

Juugo nodded, and the two talked out of earshot while Suigetsu watched him thoughtfully.

"Why did they name the Great Naruto Bridge after you?" He asked finally. "I've been thinking about it, and you're really not all that impressive."

Naruto scowled. "Maybe it's because I'm just that awesome. I don't know, I didn't hang around to ask. After Zabuza and Haku were buried, I wanted to get out of there as fast as possible."

Suigetsu snapped his fingers. "That's right! You and Sasuke were on the team that took out Zabuza!"

The blond looked up. "You knew him?"

Suigetsu laughed loudly, causing Karin to stir. "You're kidding! Whose sword do you think this was?"

He proudly turned around, and the uneasy recognition that Naruto had felt hanging around the back of his mind clicked into place as he saw the gleaming blade. "Hey, that's his! Where did you get that?"

Suigetsu's grin was mocking. "From the man who stole it off his grave, of course. You are so behind the times, kid... it's unbelievable. Konoha should really invest in an informant network."

"We knew you were heading for that scroll, didn't we?" Naruto growled back, irritated. The grin on the other man's face slipped a little bit.

"Well... yeah. I guess it's just you in particular that has clue about what's going on."

Something nagged at Naruto's mind, and he looked sharply over to Sasuke's belt, where the scroll itself was tucked protectively. "What's on that thing, anyways? What were you guys so desperate to get?"

Suigetsu shrugged. "A special jutsu, I think. Don't ask me about the details – being anal retentive is Karin's job."

"I heard that!" Came the muffled voice of the woman in question, who sat up from her pile of blankets and glared at him.

Sasuke, apparently the only one who was exempt from Rule 1, broke in before the pair could devolve into a shouting match. Juugo followed behind, face downcast. Naruto tried to catch his eye, but the orange-haired man looked away uncomfortably.

"Don't start, you two. We're going now."

_aaa_

"So, not gonna talk to me now, then." Naruto said, after a few minutes of trying to start another conversation with Juugo and being firmly rebuffed.

"Pretty much."

"I'm kinda flattered you all seem to be so scared of what I can do." Naruto grinned, and Juugo's mouth gave a little twitch.

"You know, you're not so bad, kid." He said carefully, turning his head to look at Naruto. "And maybe we could have been friends, if things were different. But..." He gave a sigh. They were lagging behind the others a little bit – Naruto could sense the weariness in the slack muscles of his shoulders. He wasn't surprised – Juugo had been carrying him for two days with little rest.

"We could be friends anyway. Sasuke and I are... were, at any rate... and we're on different sides."

Juugo shook his head. "We're taking you to Akatsuki, and you still try to find good things in us?" He laughed, without humor. "I'm sorry. Sasuke told me to watch out for techniques of yours like this... he said you have a way of getting into other people's heads. I don't want anyone to die, but it's necessary for Sasuke's plans. I'm sorry, Naruto. But there's nothing I can or will do about it."

In his distraction, Juugo had miscalculated a jump badly, and wobbled as they landed very hard on a tree branch. With Naruto on his back, his weight was dragged backwards, and they teetered on the edge in silence as he fought to regain balance. One of the hands on Naruto's leg lessened, and he saw the horrible, golden opportunity.

"I'm sorry about this, too. Really." He whispered into Juugo's ear, eyes flicking up to check whether the others were still moving ahead. They were, having not noticed – this was perfect, too perfect... he had to take this chance _now._

Raising both hands, Naruto clapped Juugo's ears as hard as he could, the pressure causing the man's ear drums to burst. Naruto then quickly moved them to cover his mouth and suppress the grating shriek of agony that this produced. Juugo's teeth bit at his fingers as he screamed, and Naruto felt blood smear across his palms as he kept them firmly over his victim's lips. The giant's eyes rolled back up into his head, and he slumped forward, sprawling awkwardly across the tree branch into unconsciousness. Naruto winced to himself – that had been a dirty move, and Juugo would likely be deaf if he didn't get emergency medical care. Guilt was an acid eating at his guy, but still... this was his one, and likely only, chance to escape.

The rest of Hawk hadn't realized that something was wrong. They were already vague smears of color through the trees, and as the distance between the trees increased, Naruto felt the suppression jutsu containing his chakra grow weaker and weaker. He stood on the branch for an agonizing second as his legs shook like jelly under the strain of his injured body, felt blood trickle from his hands and the cuts on his face, and estimated they'd realize what had happened in less than ninety seconds.

(_better start running then, akatsuki bait_)

He did.

_aaa_

After a while there was nothing but the harsh panting of his own breathing in his ears, and ripping pain in his leg, and streaky sunlight poking through the treetops overhead.

It had been only a few minutes ago that he had escaped, and he was quite sure that he had just heard shouts from behind him... too close. He was making bad progress, having to stop every few strides to adjust his shirt, which he had tied around his leg to stop the pumping blood from his earlier gash. It was a humid day, and sweat ran down his face and chest in sticky rivers that made him shudder.

Naruto bit his tongue as he stumbled over a tree root – jumping had been too much strain on his injuries, so he had slid to the forest floor, although he was now regretting the decision. This wasn't working, he decided as he tied the shirt tighter, muscles tingling uncomfortably in the process. His head was unusually light, and he started at every little sound, certain it was Suigetsu – or worse, Sasuke – dropping down from above, like some big, bastard-y, Sharingan-wielding spider.

He needed chakra, and badly. Naruto closed his eyes and slumped against a tree. The suppression was still there, but it was weak. Good – that meant, at the very least, that Karin was at least a little ways away. Naruto gathered his mind into a big, blunt club (something inside told him a needle would be better suited for this occasion, but he had never been that subtle), and battered at the wall separating him from his chakra, ramming it again and again as his head swam and body leaked sweat from every pore.

Somewhere far away, he thought he heard a scream, and the jutsu shattered into a thousand splinters.

Instantly (_oh shit maybe this wasn't such a good idea_) the Kyuubi roared into every corner of his mind, that red chakra rising, rising, overtaking his own blue power, invading more of his mind than ever before...

_(__**Run, Naruto! Run like your life depends on it. Both of ours do.**_) The fox rumbled into his mind, rage that was not his own blossoming into crimson flowers before Naruto's eyes.

(_my leg... my leg won't move anymore... i need your help..._)

(_**Take my power and go, little one.) **_The chakra cloaked him from head to food, and he felt better than he possibly ever had before. Naruto ran, power dripping off his limbs in delicious red coils.

His sharpened ears caught Karin's surprised shout - "I've found him! Six hundred meters south!"

But it didn't matter, because his pores were steaming and under his very eyes new skin was growing across his wounds, muscle was knitting themselves back together, his feet were flying across the forest floor, and while later he would certainly berate himself for how much he was giving into the fox, he let the keen senses of the best inside of him guide his path through the forest, zigzagging out of the way anytime he smelt the salty metal of Suigetsu, or the sweet perfume of Karin's leather boots. Juugo wasn't following him.

And he couldn't smell Sasuke.

(_**We cannot let them retake us. Going to the Akatsuki means certain death for you, followed by slavery and death for me.**_)

(_well no freaking duh, genius, why do you _think _i'm running away?_)

(_**Don't be flippant with me, you ignorant brat. It is only courtesy of me that you got this far.**_)

Naruto never replied, though, because at that moment a kunai whistled past his ear and struck the tree trunk in front of him, quivering. He wrenched it out and tucked it into his belt, chancing a look behind him. Karin, face flushed and fists quivering, was leaping from tree to tree behind him, bouncing between them extremely quickly as she manipulated her chakra to boost her legs.

"You really hurt Juugo, you know." She called up to him, bark cracking under her feet. Naruto directed some chakra to his lungs, pumping them faster as his legs struggled to increase the distance between them. If she touched him with a suppression jutsu, this would all be over very quickly.

"That's why I'm going to make this painful." She grimaced and lunged forward, just missing the back of his shirt. Naruto darted to the side and placed his fingers together, breath coming out in snarling rasps.

"Multi Shadow Clone jutsu!" He grinned at her shriek of frustration as several hundred clones scattered into the forest. "You have to catch me first!" Several of them yelled at her, before melting away into the trees. He saw her stop and put a finger in front of her lips, no doubt doing whatever freaky jutsu allowed her to track him so easily, but at least this would buy him a little more time.

He could still feel his body regenerating, cells dividing... dividing until he could have sworn they were sucking from his very life force. A bone-deep weariness settled over his shoulders, and Naruto staggered a little bit through the forest, blind panic in the pit of his stomach being replaced with a tired rhythm. Right foot, left foot, right foot... each impact against the ground sent little tremors up into his clenched jaw.

(_**Come on, Naruto. This isn't fast enough. That infernal Uchiha is catching up to us. I can feel his chakra on the air.**_)

Naruto dug his lengthened nails into his palms, felt the skin cut and regenerate instantly, and forced his leaden legs to move faster. One by one in rapid succession, his clones were defeated and the memory feedback allowed him glimpses of Karin's hard mouth and Suigetsu's grin... but most of all the emotionless face of Sasuke as his sword swung through dozens of copies of the orange-clad shinobi. Naruto shivered and pressed on.

_(nineteen clones left. i can do this)_

But his head start was dwindling too fast (_fourteen clones now_) and the end of the forest was nowhere in sight. His ears were beginning to catch light crunches and hisses of pain (_nine_) as Team Hawk started to catch up. The clones were providing snatches of conversation too, leaving his mind struggling to cope with two sets of sensory input. Three, if he counted the Kyuubi's warped view of the world.

("_Is Juugo gonna be okay?" suigetsu asked, sword neatly separating a clone's head from it's body-)_

("_He'll live." karin slashed another clone across the face-_)

(s_asuke was silent as his sword slid between the ribs of another naruto a hundred meters away-_)

The Kyuubi growled at him as he stumbled over a rock. (_**Concentrate on yourself, Naruto.)**_

(_easy for you to say, that's all you ever do!_)

(_**Says the ambitious little boy who wants to become Hokage so that everyone will **_**notice **_**him.)**_

(_look, whiskers, you are really not helping. besides, that plan's on hold for the moment.)_

("_man, this is too much trouble for one stupid jutsu scroll and a bit of akatsuki firepower." suigetsu grumbled, sending a clone tumbling down to the forest floor where its neck broke-_)

("_you're just a lazy fuck." karin said disgustedly, kneeing a clone in the groin-)_

("_and you're a vulgar bitch, so I guess we're even." suigetsu grinned, and that wasn't good because naruto was pretty sure he could hear that from his original ears, too, which meant they were catching up-) _

("_surround him when we get close enough." sasuke commanded, dealing with the last three clones in quick succession-)_

Naruto swore, and risked a glance over his shoulder. They were definitely visible, quick flickers of chromatic colors that flew from tree to tree, drawing closer with each bound. He looked around quickly, then swore again. What he wouldn't give for about four or five paper bombs around now. Out of any other ideas, Naruto began to funnel his wind-natured chakra through his feet, altering the flow to send up great clouds of billowing dirt whenever one of his feet left the ground. Sufficiently blocked from the eyes of Team Hawk, he then placed his fingers together one last time and created two more clones, carefully distributing his chakra so that all three of them had equal amounts and would be impossible to tell apart.

With that, he allowed the dirt to settle. The three of him turned to face his pursuers, gave them all wide grins, and then scattered in completely opposite directions.

As the original Naruto bounded away into the south, he heard the frustration in Karin's voice. "I can't tell the difference!"

Any replies were lost to the wind, but Naruto smiled to himself. They would be forced to split up, and he was pretty sure he could evade just one person after him.

Twenty minutes had passed without the slightest hint of anybody following him. The only constant sound apart from the low trill of nearby birds was his rapidly beating heart, thumping in time to his footfalls. He hadn't received any more memory feedback, meaning that his other clones were also untouched. The resulting sap on his chakra was wearying, but worth it. Naruto didn't let himself relax, but as the trees split ahead to reveal a river that Team Hawk had crossed early that morning, a relieved grin broke across his face. Konoha was almost a week away, but he was definitely headed in the right direction. Once he was there, he could rally Sakura and Kakashi and Sai and Yamato and come rescue Sasuke from this insanity...

The river was fast-flowing and a murky blue. Naruto didn't slow his stride as he directed chakra to his feet to stay above the surface –

And then the world exploded as his muscles seized and he _couldn't move them _and the Kyuubi was snarling and his chakra flow completely stopped and the water was coming up to greet his face and everything was that tainted blue and his lungs _weren't_ _working_ and then everything was dark...

_aaa_

(_holy fuck just let me be dead please ow ow ow ow ow ow..._)

(**I cannot believe that you fell for that. You, brat, are an idiot.**)

_(................................................................................................................................................)_

It was the kind of pain that leaves you unable to focus on anything else, a series of shuddering shocks that forced Naruto into full consciousness and made vomit a stomach full of muddy water and blood onto the ground beside him.

The first thing that he noticed was that he was, indeed, alive. The second was that Sasuke Uchiha was watching him with a raised eyebrow and just the kind of arrogance that he hated more than anything else in the world.

"A-and I almost thought I was got away." His voice came out stuttering and hoarse.

"Come on, loser, you didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" Sasuke smirked, crouching a few meters away... just out of arm's reach. His hand rested easily on the hilt of his sword.

"One can always hope." Naruto joked weakly and struggled up onto his elbows, coughing. Sasuke's eyes, still bright with the power of the Sharingan, swept him up and down appraisingly. "How did you find me?"

The Uchiha gestured to the river. "I knew you'd keep heading south, since that's the direction of Konoha. You would have had to cross this sometime. I just ran lightning-natured chakra along the surface, which would be guaranteed to fry anything stupid enough to wander across it. Including you."

(_**Kill him.**_) The command actually buzzed at the inside of Naruto's skull, making the world spin slightly.

(_are you crazy?! no way!_)

(_**He's underestimating you. I can see it in his eyes – he thinks you aren't a threat. Look at the way his legs are relaxed. He won't be able to spring away in time**_.)

It was true – evidently, Sasuke's pride had not been diminished in his time away from Konoha. Naruto could even see the perfect opening beneath his right arm, where it was crooked to grasp the sword. A straight shot would puncture his lungs and drive straight into his heart, provided the Uchiha was caught sufficiently off-guard.

He had a kunai, courtesy of Karin. And every reason to do it.

(_**Let me do it. Open the seal further, and I'll blow him away. He'll never cause you pain again.**_)

(_get the fuck out of my mind!_) He growled, eyes fixed on Sasuke. He would quite happily beat the bastard to a pulp and drag him back to Konoha by the tips of his perfectly gelled hair – maybe even put him in hospital for a few months to cool off from this latest stunt – but the idea of killing Sasuke, or even the thought of Sasuke being dead... made him physically sick.

The Kyuubi chuckled, the sound reverberating around his senses.

(_**We'll see if you still feel that way when we reach the Akatsuki. My offer remains until you wish to take it.**_)

Naruto didn't bother replying. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself into a sitting position, muscles still twinging from the electric chakra.

"So, what now?" He narrowed his eyes at Sasuke, who remained in the same position and stared unblinkingly back at him. "Gonna knock me out? Why didn't you just let me drown and get it over with?"

Sasuke looked bored. "That would be pointless, idiot. I need you alive. For now, anyways." He pulled a length of rope from his backpack. "I suppose I'll have to tie you up tighter, though. What you did to Juugo is not to be repeated."

"You know, it was pretty easy to take him down." Naruto couldn't help but tease him slightly. "You should keep better company."

Sasuke didn't rise to the bait. "As should you. I noticed that we haven't had anyone from Konoha on our trail for quite a while. They probably aren't even looking for you. Perhaps your theory of friendship always being triumphant needs some work."

Naruto flinched. "I may be an idiot about a lot of things, but that's not one of them."

One of Sasuke's thin eyebrows rose. "Look where it's gotten you... you've been abandoned by your village, and one of your former comrades is bringing you to die."

Naruto stared at him unbelievingly as the raven began to uncoil a section of rope, slicing through it cleanly with a chakra blade.

"You really don't feel guilty about this, do you?"

Sasuke concentrated intently on the rope, eyes hidden beneath his long bangs. "No, Naruto. I don't."

"Sasuke." Naruto leaned forward. "Okay, never mind the fact that I will _die _if you go through with this_. _You're obviously fine with that. But... I'm pretty sure that I'm the final piece of the puzzle for the Akatsuki. And for all we know, their plans include blowing up Konoha, or even the entire fucking world. You can't trust them!"

Sasuke's mouth curved into an ugly smile. "They could burn the Five Nations to the ground, and I wouldn't care. I'll have gotten what I want by then."

Violence had never seemed like a more appealing option. "Oh? And what _do _you want, you fucking prick?"

"Revenge." Sasuke said simply, and lifted the rope. "Hold out your hands."

"Like hell I will!" Naruto's hand, stealthily enclosed around a large stone, whipped it across the few feet between them. It struck Sasuke's cheek, and Naruto launched himself at him with abandon, rage and the aftereffects of Sasuke's booby trap making his body tremble.

Except... Sasuke wasn't there.

(_ah_ _shit i forgot how fast he was_)

Hearing the slight swoosh of displaced air behind him, Naruto threw himself to the side and placed a hand on the ground, using it as a brace to level a ferocious kick at Sasuke's chin. The Uchiha caught his foot in one hand and twisted it sharply, eyes cold. Naruto bit the inside of his cheeks as he heard the bone crack and pushed off the ground with his hand, the resulting momentum causing both of them to crash to the ground. He ended up with his injured foot curled underneath him and a mouth full of blood, as he came to the horrible realization that he had already come off the high that the Kyuubi had provided. There was no more instantaneous power to access... and even worse, Naruto was _tired_, tired like he couldn't remember being in years. Accelerated healing had always taken it out of him, and there had been so much to repair when the Kyuubi surfaced that it had taken most of his energy. In addition, he had just been running for miles, and before that had been in numerous fights with almost no time to recover. With this newest exertion, every movement felt like he was dragging a lead weight.

Still, he leaped at Sasuke when he spotted him starting to rise, and they fell into a tumbled, undignified mass of tangled limbs and short, powerful punches that had him coughing blood. Now that he had acknowledged his exhaustion, however, every move took energy that he just didn't have in him, and it wasn't long before Sasuke flipped Naruto onto his back and straddled him, pinning his shoulders to the ground with his hands and leaning over his face.

"Get off me!" Naruto snapped, retreating into his mind to wrench more chakra from the fox. He'd deal with the consequences of using so much borrowed power and the effect it was certainly having on the seal later.

"Oh, no you don't." Sasuke hissed, and Naruto found himself caught in the Sharingan as it spun and contracted, forcing the Kyuubi back into its cage. It was barely a minute before all traces of the fox were wiped from Naruto's chakra circulation system. Both of them knew that the fight was over.

(_fuck this is really happening_)

He was tired, injured again, and above all, horribly alone. With the Kyuubi contained, he didn't even have the support, although grudging and grumpy, of someone on his side. The sequence of events to follow this defeat was clear: Sasuke knock him out now and drag him back to the others, where he would be likely beaten for hurting Juugo, and then tied up or simply be kept unconscious for the rest of the trip. He wouldn't get another chance to try and get Sasuke to come around. This had probably been his last chance to escape. They would reach Akatsuki in a few weeks, and then he would die.

It wasn't often that Naruto was so pessimistic, but the cold malice of the Sharingan staring at him made him feel like breaking down. Perhaps it was a genjutsu. Or maybe it was just that particular effect that Sasuke had on him. Either way, that knock-out blow would come soon. Naruto waited, stubbornly determined not to show any pain when it happened.

But to his surprise, Sasuke didn't back off immediately and punch him, like he had expected. Instead, he remained in the awkward position, pressing Naruto's shoulders and hips uncomfortably into the ground, eyes fixed on the other's. Naruto could do nothing else but gaze back, wondering when exactly his best friend had been buried by this stranger before him.

It was the first good look he had gotten at Sasuke since they had parted years before, and the changes were startlingly pronounced. His face, though it had always been harsh, always harder than it could have _(should have_) been, had sharpened intensely – the jaw line growing firm and taut, the nose a bigger feature of his face, the lips thin and somehow paler than Naruto remembered. The dark bags under his eyes seemed chiseled there, a permanent addition. Everything was angular and sharp, like it would cut anything that touched it. Stupidly, Naruto felt himself blinking fast – it was like someone had taken a clay model of _his _Sasuke and stretched it to the point of breaking, shaping him into something much crueler than he should have been.

"What happened to you, Sasuke?" He asked wearily, lifting his hand (Sasuke's vice-like grip inexplicably loosened, giving him control of his arm) and brushing the Uchiha's cheek gently. Sasuke flinched, and Naruto wondered if he had noticed the changes in Naruto himself.

"Why do you hate me so much now?"

Sasuke didn't answer, and didn't pull away. He seemed frozen, breathing shallowly, both incredibly fragile and unbreakable at the same time. Naruto's fingers, without permission from their owner, lifted further to tuck a strand of hair behind Sasuke's ear, and he was suddenly acutely aware of every inch of skin that was pressed again his own, of the lines and ridges of Sasuke's palm against his shoulder... of his solid weight against his hips. Something in his stomach that was not anger stirred, causing his insides to heat. A flush started on his neck and a small voice of reason began telling him that this was a _very _bad idea, but fascination with the startled look in Sasuke's eyes made him go further. His fingertips drifted down Sasuke's jawline to catch one of the bangs that had fallen in front of his face, teasing it through his fingers. Sasuke's eyes drifted shut, and his lips parted a fraction. Naruto felt like he had a grip on something tenuous and terribly, fascinatingly important, although he had no idea what.

"Why are you doing this?" He could almost taste the silk of Sasuke's hair between his fingers, the delicate shell of his ear against the tip of his thumb. It was so good to _feel _him, after years of only dreams and apparitions.

"I..." Sasuke began, the constant tension in his body beginning to loosen slightly. "I have to." He murmured, eyes still closed.

Naruto sighed, and dared his hand to wander further.

"I don't understand anymore." He whispered, palm curving around the nape of Sasuke's neck. The skin there was incredibly soft and warm. "I don't understand _you_."

His words had shattered something. Sasuke's face darkened, eyes snapping open, bleeding back into the red of his bloodline. "Don't flatter yourself. You never have."

Abruptly, he swung off Naruto, leaving the blond's hand extended towards the empty sky.

"Now, hold out your hands or I'll knock you out and drag you to the Akatsuki by your hair." The Uchiha's voice was cold and threatening, and for some reason, the heat in Naruto's stomach wasn't going away.

"You found him!" Suigetsu slipped out from the trees and shouted from across the stream, having missed the entire scene. "That took fucking long enough! Karin's off taking care of Juugo... come on, Sasuke, tie him up already and let's get the hell out of here!"

Exhaustion pounded at every muscle in his body. Naruto closed his eyes and allowed the rough rope to chafe at his wrists once more.

* * *

**Hm... school's starting again soon. Damn. Hope this summer has been great for everyone!**


	4. Interlude I: Dreams

**Title**: Daybreak**  
Chapter Title**: Broken Bonds**  
Summary**: _Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning_. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks. **  
Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within, to my regret. Many thanks to the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto.

**A/N**: Thanks so much to those who have reviewed! Especially to Strangeblossom and Mistress Sundrop - you guys make my day every time :)

I'm tired of tweaking this chapter by now, so here it is in all its un-paragraphed glory. The point of view switch is not permanent... I'm thinking of this as a bit of an interlude. Enjoy, and thanks again for all the support :)

* * *

**Daybreak**

**Chapter 4**

Sasuke had, as of the night before, dreamed of Itachi three thousand, nine hundred and eighty-three times.

In layman's terms, that meant almost every single night since _That Day_,when all but three members of the Uchiha clan had been eliminated from the face of the earth. He didn't remember every single dream, of course – that might have driven him truly insane – but they all followed the same pattern, sticking to it close enough sometimes it felt he could recall all of them in perfect clarity. He sometimes wondered if his Sharingan affected his dreams – if his bloodline was the reason that reality and his own twisted fantasies melted together in the few moments when he woke, caused Itachi's silent face to hover above his own when his eyes first opened.

("_Power comes with a price, Uchiha. And sometimes..." kabuto smiled his razor-edge smile and tapped sasuke's forehead. "Sometimes that price is paid by the mind, not the body."_

"_Just what are you implying?" sasuke had asked flatly, his eyes daring the man to say anything further. the torchlight made kabuto's teeth gleam and cast his face half into shadow._

"_No need to get upset. It's just that the Uchiha and Hyuuga clans are known in particular for the madness that sometimes descends upon them when they reach adulthood. I've never conducted proper studies, of course, but I'm rather of the opinion that there's something in your genes that just isn't right. Centuries of inbreeding never did anyone much good."_

_he had blocked sasuke's trembling punch with a chakra blade that slit the raven's fist. sasuke didn't even feel the warm blood running in sheets down in his arm, rage blocking out the pain._

"_Now, now, Sasuke. Orochimaru wouldn't be happy if he knew you were damaging his future host body." _

"_Don't talk about my family." sasuke's vivid glare could have shattered stone. _

_kabuto shrugged, and confident that sasuke wouldn't attack him again, began to repair the cut. his healing chakra had always been chilly, like touching freezing metal, but sasuke had to suppress an uneasy shiver as he heard the man's even colder words. _

"_If you prefer. But let me just warn you... nothing in life comes for free, particularly strength. Powerful bloodlines like the Sharingan and Byakugan carry with them weaknesses like everything else does, even if those weaknesses are... beneath the surface."_)

Sasuke wondered now just how much Kabuto had known about the Sharingan – about how it made his dreams clear as day, forced him to relive them in the morning when his eyes would snap open and a whirlwind of jarring images from the night before would assault him without mercy. About how, for the first few weeks after his bloodline had activated, he would force himself to stay awake for fear of the sickening waves of impulses that came after sleep... or now that he had received the Mangekyou, how certain images would superimpose themselves over his regular eyes. How he could swear that Itachi watched him from the shadows, or that recently there always seemed to be traces of blood smeared across his own palms. Kabuto had been one of the most intelligent people Sasuke had ever met, and although they had quietly hated each other during their three years of living under the same roof, he didn't doubt that there were definitely questions about the Sharingan that the medical shinobi could have answered.

Indeed, there were many things Sasuke would have liked to wrench – preferably between screams – from that man's wretched mouth. They were things that he couldn't bring his pride low enough to ask Madara, or would prefer the older Uchiha to not know that he was thinking about. Like just how far one had to descend into their own feverish dreams before it was considered insanity. Like how he could stop the blindness that was slowly but surely creeping up on him, or at least delay it long enough to eradicate all traces of Konoha.

Like how to sleep with only uncaring oblivion as company.

_aaa_

Before his confrontation with Itachi and the truth about what had really occurred that night nearly a decade before, Sasuke's subconscious wanderings were filled with his brother's taunting eyes, the spinning of a Mangekyou Sharingan, and blood oozing from every corner of the room.

After Itachi's death, he had dreamed of his brother in many situations – sometimes lying peacefully in a summer field, the way they had done once when Sasuke had been very young, or eating onigiri and smiling, or arguing quietly with the clan elders – but mostly him standing over the bodies of the Uchiha clan, that one bright tear snailing down his face. Always, Itachi's skin would be paper-thin, and if Sasuke tried to touch him, that thin layer would burst and all of his brother's blood would cover him from head to foot, a permanent stain.

No matter the dream, Sasuke always woke with a snarl on his lips and a thin sheen of clammy sweat clinging to his skin.

_aaa_

Not all of his dreams belonged to his brother, though. Thirty-nine had featured his parents, smiling and touching his forehead gently, sometimes before being consumed by a cold fire that melted the skin right off their bones. He would wake from those dreams slowly, like he was trying to swim to the surface of a lake that kept growing father away. Those had been a long time ago, though, before he had even graduated from the Academy. He couldn't really remember what his parents looked like anymore. There were no pictures.

_aaa_

He had dreamed of Kakashi and Sakura once each. Those dreams had been bright and chaotic, full of garish colors and gleaming light that had pained his eyes. In one, Sakura had tried to take his hand amid an orchard of cherry blossom trees. He had shoved her away, waking with a start when she smiled sadly and dissolved into a wisp of smoke.

In his dream about Kakashi, his teacher had been mask-less and beaming, standing with his arms around the former teammates that Sasuke had seen in a picture once. He had looked so goddamn _happy, _and Sasuke woke with a bitter taste in his mouth, staring at the ceiling of Orochimaru's hideout with a ferocious scowl.

_aaa_

Gaara had also graced his dreams, twice. Both times it had been the same – the redhead had been in immense pain, howling and tearing at his breast as the monster within him tore his body apart from the inside. Except, when it had finally emerged from the gaping cavity it had gashed through the Sand shinobi's breast, it was not the Bijuu that had been sealed into him before birth, but a horrible mesh of his siblings. Temari and Kankuro's features had merged into one body, forming a stunted tangle of flesh that gently brushed Gaara's forehead with stubby fingers.

"We did it for love." It said mournfully to the corpse, splitting and transforming into Itachi and the Fourth Hokage before disintegrating into fine sand that began to rise around Sasuke, filling his eyes and ears and mouth until he couldn't breathe and all the he could hear was their keening words.

"All for love..." They murmured, and Sasuke's eyes had snapped open, still feeling the sand pressing against his windpipe.

_aaa_

Lastly...

Lastly, he had dreamed of Naruto twenty-eight times. _Not_ that he counted, of course – his mind just had a way of remembering that sort of thing. He hated those dreams because they stirred vague feelings of uncertainty in his choices, created little niggling doubts that whispered softly at the edges of his mind. They were always different and unpredictable, too, disrupting his normal and already light sleep pattern, which made him despise them even more. Once, he had watched Naruto drown in a pool of shadows that had leaked from his Sharingan. Once, they had fought endlessly in the burnt-out husk of Konoha with bodies littering the streets. Another time, Naruto had been standing in the sunlight, face turned towards the sky and a gentle smile curving his lips... oblivious to Sasuke's outstretched hand and cry for help as his limbs froze under the weight of the moon.

And sometimes...

Sasuke never blushed, but there was a certain tint to his cheeks as he remembered some of the other dreams, dark and private that had ended with a certain ringing in his ears and a sticky mess across the sheets.

His skin prickled uncomfortably at the memories, and a harsh frown slashed his lips as he regarded the sleeping blond from his position in the fork of a tree. It was night, and after seeing the dragging feet of Karin and Juugo, Sasuke had called a longer rest and refused any offers to let others take the watch. He wasn't tired, and never slept well in any case. He especially doubted that he'd be able to rest at all tonight... after his encounter with Naruto at the river.

Just thinking about it made his stomach tremble with anger. That had _not _been meant to happen. He supposed it was his fault that the idiot had escaped – he'd forgotten just how lucky (_it can't have been anything else_) Naruto could be, and should have taken better precautions. But damn it, he'd _warned _Juugo of the strange effect that Naruto seemed to have on weaker-willed people, and the stupid man had fallen for it anyways! Now his sense of balance was affected from the attack on his ears, even though Karin had done her best to repair the damage. Which meant that he was slower and could barely keep up by himself. Which meant that he wouldn't be able to carry Naruto any longer.

Which meant that either Sasuke or Suigetsu had to do it.

He had splintered Naruto's ankle during their brief fight, and after a disdainful examination, Karin had announced that she could do little for it – it would have to heal on its own. Naruto's testy response (that he wouldn't have wanted to bite her anyways – he didn't know where she'd been) had made Suigetsu snicker, but Sasuke had received the news that he would have to be carried with a stony face. He could tell himself that he simply didn't want the inevitable annoying chatter in his ear, but the truth ran much deeper than that, deeper than he would ever admit, even to himself.

It had to do with those dreams, the few and far apart ones that made him want to burn up from shame, and a muted desire that simmered in his blood. Sasuke could deal with doubts in the dark, with vague questions of _what if _speaking softly into his ears during his sleep, but having Naruto around made it all so much more real. In fact, having Naruto around disturbed his entire life, period. Because as much as he didn't want to admit it, seeing the pain at what he was doing in Naruto's eyes made his stomach lurch and mouth bitter. Listening to the blond's pleas made the ghostly visage of Itachi fade from his vision, if only for a few moments. Feeling the way Naruto's fingers had caressed his cheek next to the river made his ears burn and heart beat at his ribcage like a drum, and all of those events had brought up feelings and memories that he had locked away deep inside the day he had approached Orochimaru. What he had told Juugo was horribly true – Naruto _did _have a way of affecting others, and Sasuke was not exempt from that rule, much as he wanted to be.

A breeze wafted through the clearing, stirring the blond's hair and causing him to mumble incoherently before rolling over onto his side. Sasuke's frown deepened as he examined the scars that sliced across Naruto's cheeks. They had changed from the thin lines on a face still plump with baby fat into dark streaks that only accentuated the chiseled line of his jaw. He had grown, far more than Sasuke could have ever imagined – from the openly wild and uncontrollable orphan that used to be the bane of his existence to this... this...

Man. Oh, he still recognized the Naruto from the old days... that unshakable confidence still showed in his smile, and easy power still rolled off his body in waves. But something integral had changed – the joking nature, the carefree way the idiot would throw himself into battle... it had sunk below the surface, to a place where Sasuke couldn't see it. And there was something else, too, reflected in the slight lengthening of his canines, in the sharp lines of his face and pupils that were slitted more than completely normal.

The Kyuubi was awakening.

Through the Sharingan, Sasuke could see its chakra constantly writhing through Naruto's veins, seeking to overcome the body that it was placed in. Though Karin was now asleep and the suppression jutsu gone, he knew he could contain it should Naruto wake up and try to escape. However... he had not missed the flickering of the blond's eyes from red to blue to red again when they fought by the river, or the alien blood-lust in Naruto's face that he knew the boy himself was not capable of. The seal set by the Fourth was weakening rapidly, and Naruto had no idea how to cope. Sasuke gave a humorless smirk, amused by the vague parallel between them. He had the Sharingan and the ghostly falsehoods that it fed him to deal with, while Naruto would have to face his own demon sooner rather than later. Not that there would be a later for Naruto, since he was going to die soon.

Sasuke's fist clenched, and there was a loud crack as the bark beneath his hand split.

(_it's irrational to be angry, i'm the one causing the whole thing_)

Technically, he wouldn't be the one killing Naruto, but it would be his fault all the same. Despite his intentionally cold words, the concept was not one that he was comfortable with. Sasuke knew that he wasn't thinking about the whole situation very rationally. If it had been anyone – _anyone –_ else that the Kyuubi had been sealed inside of, he would have quite contentedly sliced the tendons in their knees so that they couldn't run, and cut out their chakra coil at the base of their spine so that their chakra circulation system permanently failed. He would have knocked them out, forcibly tied them onto Juugo's back, dumped them on the Akatsuki's front doorstep, and never concerned himself with the whole thing ever again. But this was _Naruto_, and though it was stupid and idiotic and downright dangerous to him and his companions, Sasuke couldn't bring himself to give the order to hobble him. The thought of Naruto not being free (or as free as the situation allowed) sickened him.

But still, he had convinced himself to bring the Jinchuuriki before the Akatsuki. Not because he was loyal to them, or even because they needed the firepower – although having the criminals on his side would certainly help, Sasuke was reasonably certain that Team Hawk could take out most of Konoha on their own. No, bringing Naruto there was a more personal matter, one that filled him with equal parts of shame and a dark satisfaction.

Because killing Naruto would finally crush the part of himself that was wondering if revenge was the right choice.

Naruto always made him wonder if he had really chosen the right path after all, and though Sasuke did not perceive fear in the way that most people did, thoughts like that had always made sick little tingles tickle at his throat and fingers. After their fight in the Valley of the End, every step he had taken away from his friend's prone figure had been plagued with a host of doubts that sucked at his feet and begged him to return, apologize, be happy. After their encounter in Orochimaru's hideout, he caught himself longing to see the faces of the Hokages carved into the mountain, figures that had been anchors throughout his childhood. And now...

(_"why are you doing this? i don't understand anymore..."_)

Sasuke grit his teeth. It was too late now, anyways, even if he _did_ want to go back (_which i don't_). He had come too far, sacrificed too much to give everything up and return to a way of living that would only leave his purpose in life unfulfilled. Even if he couldn't remember what they looked like, the ghosts of his murdered clan and martyred brother followed him everywhere, flitting out of the corners of his eyes. He could feel them in the wind that stirred his hair and the water that slid over his skin. They were part of everything, always reminding him of what had been lost and who was to blame for it. How could he return to Konoha like Naruto wanted, subjugate himself to the very people who had ordered that his family be killed just so that they wouldn't have to trouble themselves with a little political disagreement? How could he let the memory of Itachi be stained with the names _traitor _and _kinslayer_, when he had sacrificed more than anyone in the history of Konoha? Revenge was an ugly word, and Sasuke knew that it had turned him into an ugly person, a shell of the boy that Naruto and the others remembered. Sometimes he would catch a glimpse of himself in running water or a hotel mirror and would stop, not recognizing the face that was reflected. His own eyes had disappeared years ago, buried beneath the draining power of the Sharingan and the relentless determination of the Avenger within. Occasionally he would shiver as he remembered the sayings of the old crones of Konoha-

(_"your face will freeze if you keep it in that scowl, boy!"_)

- and realize how true the old wives tales could be. Years of schooling his face to show only anger or hatred or irritation or the emotions of a proper Avenger had resulted in the mask becoming reality, something that he could no longer remove. The Avenger had been a separate entity to start with, a mere role that Sasuke had grimly undertaken... only to find that now the mask had fused to his face and he couldn't tell himself and his chosen path apart. Several times he had run his finger along his jaw, wondering if it was physically possible to rip that self-imposed mask off, to see what truly lay beneath. It scared him, to know that he had almost completely lost who he used to be. Once or twice he had even regretted it, during the days when he thought of Naruto and Sakura, or wondered what Kakashi would think of him now.

But how could he ever release this anger, this unending rage that spiked unendingly through his veins, that screamed for the blood of those responsible? How could he ever live peacefully, knowing that those responsible for so much pain and needless death were roaming free and unfettered, living their stupid, pointless lives like his own flesh and blood could not?

No. He could not, _would not_, let it go. Not for Naruto. Not for anyone. No matter that the blond was the only person who could come close to understanding him, or that Sasuke was fairly certain that underneath the layers of anger and pride and competitiveness and a hint of lust and all the other emotions he felt towards the Uzumaki there was something close to forgotten affection –

(_or something else i can't think about right now_) –

No matter that the idea of Naruto dying made his hands tremble, or that when the idiot had touched his jaw near the river a small spark of warmth had shot through his spine. Whatever his feelings were for the blond, whatever _what ifs _might plague his mind... he had still dreamed of Itachi three thousand, nine hundred and fifty-five times more than he had dreamed of Naruto.

The choice was obvious.

Sasuke wrenched his eyes away from the sleeping form of his old companion, and unhooked the hard-won jutsu scroll from his belt. Its lightness was ironic, considering the sheer destructive power it contained. He might as well practice before everyone woke up. Leaning back against the tree, he let his eyes roam over the kanji that spelled out the utter destruction of Konoha, and pushed away the memory of sky-blue eyes.

* * *

**Thoughts? Critique? All is welcome. Good luck to those of you who have returned to school!**


	5. Surfacing

**Title**: Daybreak**  
Chapter Title**: Surfacing**  
Summary**: _Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning_. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks. **  
Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within, to my regret. Many thanks to the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto.

**Author's Note**: I've got a round of apologies to make – firstly, sorry for the insanely long time it took to write this chapter! It was originally a lot longer, but I eventually decided to keep the second half as the basis for the next chapter. Incidentally, this is the penultimate chapter of the first arc of Daybreak. Yay!

Secondly, I apologize to those who left reviews that I didn't get around to replying to. Between school, exams and life in general, by the point I had any time to sit down and deal with my email it was three weeks later and I just decided to include them in the A/N. They're below – and thanks so much for the support and kind words you've given me. Make no mistake – I seriously appreciate it and they really inspire me.

**To:**

**Mistress Sundrop – **thanks so much! I have more fun writing Sasuke than Naruto pretty much for that exact reason – he could be thinking anything and you would never know. Despite his reasons for his actions not being good enough, I find it hard to fault him for it. I wonder what most people would do if they were in the same situation?

**xXMikomiUchihaXx –** aaaw, thanks! I hope your competition went well (hopefully I'll have time to enter next time) :)

**Aglie – **I'm glad you like it! I hope you like this chapter. Thanks for reviewing! :)

**droptheice – **your reviews always make me smile! Thanks a lot. I have to admit, there are times when I read back through some chapters and wince at grammar/stupid mistakes that I didn't catch, but I'm glad they're not blatantly obvious!

**Kyoko kitty-chan – **thanks! You have no idea how happy I am to hear you think that! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**PerfectPineapple – **thanks so much for your kind words! I'm glad you think the characters are believable (I think they're the integral part of most stories) – hopefully they'll continue to be so. Thanks for reading!

**Strangeblossom - ***hugs***** Thanks so much! I was hoping he was vaguely in character. Thanks for reviewing again – you made my day :D

**qyolover1 – **thanks for reviewing! Sorry the update was late, but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless :)

**Calamus – **ah, sweet angst. Where would teenagedom and fanfics be without it? It is incredibly fun to write, though. Considering what's coming up in the fic, I think 'adventure' is a better descriptor, but we'll see ;). I've never read the Blessed Realm – I'll be sure to look it up! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**the birdster – **I hardly know what to say! Thanks so much – I'm really flattered you think so well of it :). I hope this chapter lives you to your expectations!

Thanks again, guys! Sorry this note was so long. Onto the story.

* * *

**Daybreak **

**Chapter 5**

"Check it out, I can walk again!" Naruto announced, triumphantly punching the air. His smile fairly glowed as he put his full weight onto his ankle, hobbling the few steps across the clearing with evident pride.

"Big deal." Suigetsu drawled from his resting spot in the shade, unimpressed. "If that's your biggest accomplishment, Naruto, I'm surprised Akatsuki didn't get a hold of you sooner."

Somehow, in between Naruto cracking one of his ribs for making a choice remark about Konoha and the two of them pranking Karin by mixing up all her cosmetic bottles, Suigetsu had dropped the 'kid' business and began calling the blond by his proper name. Consequently, the two had settled into a joking camaraderie that made Juugo smile, Karin roll her eyes, and Sasuke turn away with a scowl.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at him. "You're just jealous 'cause now I can walk and you won't get to hold my sexy body against your back anymore."

Suigetsu laughed, pointed teeth extremely white against the dark shadows of the trees. "Dream on. We all know that _I'm _the irresistible one in this group. Right, Karin?" He flashed a grin in her direction, but was firmly rebuffed by a rock thrown at his head.

"Bastard. I'm trying to sleep." She groused.

As they fell to their usual bickering, Naruto flexed his hands and looked around the clearing. Karin was sprawled in the sun with an arm flung over her eyes, while Juugo sat cross-legged amid a small gathering of birds, who were gathered on his arms and shoulders. He gave Naruto a mild smile as he felt his gaze, and nodded his head.

"I'm glad you've healed."

Naruto felt a small stab of guilt – Juugo had been forgiving enough after the botched escape attempt a couple of days earlier, but he was far from recovered. His unorthodox attack had left the man with a burst eardrum and a wildly shifting sense of balance, and he winced every time he saw Juugo stumble – that had been purely his fault. Next to Juugo, Sasuke sat half-swallowed by the gloom of the trees, expression hidden by the darkness. Unlike Suigetsu, who seemed oddly bright and contrasted to the shadows with his platinum hair, the Uchiha blended into the darkness with an ease that made Naruto uncomfortable. Sensing the blond's eyes on him, Sasuke turned his head slightly and met his gaze, lip curling. A searing glow that was equal parts anger, resentment, nostalgia and something more primal than Naruto cared to think about lit at the pit of his stomach at the disdainful look. After the day by the river, they had watched each other intensely, as if studying the changes in each other would somehow settle the jagged waves of emotion that had been stirred. Naruto noted that Sasuke looked tired, more so than usual. He had been setting a demanding pace for the group, and even as Naruto watched the Uchiha stood once more and announced that it was time to leave in a clipped tone.

"Come on, Sasuke, we haven't had a rest longer than ten minutes for a whole day. I'm carrying Naruto – which I have you to thank for – and Karin's jutsu is fucking wasting her. We're tired." Suigetsu complained. Beside him, the woman nodded.

"It would be good to have a break."

"You're supposed to be some of the strongest shinobi on the continent. Deal with it."

"They're only human, Sasuke." Naruto said irritably, drawing a dark look from him. "And part of being a shinobi is supporting your team, not tearing them down."

(_not that you seem to have learned that lesson particularly well_)

"Tch. Fine." Sasuke kept his tone flat, but Naruto could see his frustration in the tense of his jaw. "Since you need to rest, I'm going to go train. We leave at dusk."

He turned his back and began to melt into the shade.

"Do you need any... help...?" Karin called after him, cheeks dusted with pink.

"You're the one slowing us down. Get some rest." He didn't turn around – simply continued walking, and an awkward silence fell over the four left behind as she stared down at her hands, twisting them together in a way that must have been painful. Suigetsu looked at her with a furrowed brow and an expression that Naruto knew only too well, from his years of watching Sakura being rejected by the same man.

"Never mind the bastard." Suigetsu said, almost gently. "You should sleep."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Karin snapped at him, looking like she was about to burst into tears. The missing-nin immediately bristled, hurt evident in the way he drew back and narrowed his eyes.

"Fine. Don't take your bitchiness out on us. It's not our fault he'll never be interested in you." He replied viciously, crossing his arms.

Karin sat still for a couple seconds, hands smoothing over a crease in one of her boots as she visibly pulled herself together.

"Well, it makes no difference to me whether he wants to train alone or not." She said finally, tone cold. "I don't care."

"I don't know who you think you're fooling." Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Hey blondie, are all the girls in Konoha this ga-ga over him as well?"

Naruto laughed. "Are you kidding? They all chase after me and my rugged good looks."

"I'm sure." Suigetsu said dryly.

Naruto stuck his tongue out. "In all seriousness, Sasuke talks about as much as a rock. He's never had a girlfriend – the only person he ever hung out with was me, and that was only after I chased him down and beat a bit of sense into him."

(_not that it lasted_)

"Chased him down, eh? Looks like you have some competition, Karin." Suigetsu grinned. "Naruto here is after Sasuke's own heart as well."

The genetic predisposal Naruto had to blushing at inane things really was incredibly unfair. He could feel the blood rushing to his face and crawl down his neck even as he stuttered, "That's not funny! In his dreams, maybe!"

"Oh, I'll bet it is." Suigetsu leered at him, and Naruto decided that it _had _to be horrified mortification that made his stomach feel like it had been filled with helium.

"That's not the way it is." He grumbled under his breath, as much for his reassurance as for the others. Sensing a raw nerve, Suigetsu grinned and leaned closer.

"Dude, you guys are practically in a relationship already, with all the domestic violence and screaming matches and dysfunctionality you've got going on."

Naruto felt his flush deepen to a dark purple. Karin tossed her hair, unamused. "That's taking it too far. Sasuke hates his guts. Besides, he's a _guy_."

"Maybe he swings that way." Suigetsu laughed as he dodged Karin's fist.

"Don't even joke about that!"

"Can we not speculate about Sasuke's sexuality, please?" Juugo interjected wearily.

"Fine, fine, touchy subject, I get it."

There was a few minutes of silence as everyone relaxed back to their original positions. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. Suigetsu looked at him sideways. "You've gotta admit, though, it's a bit weird how obsessed you are with him."

"I'm _not _obsessed with him!" Naruto half-shouted, startling the small flock of birds away from Juugo. "Yeah, he's important to me, and I'm going to bring him back to the village, but that doesn't mean..."

"I've seen the way you watch him." Suigetsu yawned, producing a flat stone from the depths of his pack and heaving his sword onto his lap. "Like he's a ghost, or he'll disappear if you let your eyes wander for too long."

(_it's happened before_)

"I just... haven't seen him in a while." Naruto shifted uncomfortably as Suigetsu tested the whetting stone against the blade of the sword, producing a small screech. "Look, can't we just talk about something else?"

"Actually, you have me curious now." Suigetsu tilted his head. "What's so great about Sasuke anyways, that you think you need to save him? Why would you commit yourself to a task like that? You're giving up your youth and probably your life to try and get through to him. Seems a bit... wasteful."

That stopped Naruto short. It hadn't really occurred to him before to ponder the _why. _There didn't _need_ to be a _why. _It was Sasuke. It was Sasuke, and he needed help even if he didn't see it, and that was that, really. Sasuke had always been reason enough for Naruto.

"Well... he's better than this." Naruto said slowly, kicking at a tuft of grass with his heel. "He's smart and brilliant and vulnerable and a bastard... and my best friend. I'm not gonna let him throw his life away on something as stupid consuming as revenge. He could be so much more."

He watched the bent grass spring back into shape, tips stretching to the sky. "He was alone and angry for so long... I didn't make enough of an impression the first time around. I didn't do enough to make him stay, to erase that anger. Maybe if Orochimaru had waited another year, everything would be different..." He sighed. "If I can just bring him back to Konoha... show him what it means to care for other people, and be relied on and cared for in turn... I think it can heal him. _I_ can heal him. If he lets me."

"Yeah. Uh-huh. Hate to break it to you, dude, but if that's the Sasuke you knew... there's nothing left. He's gone, man." Suigetsu shook his head, and ran the whetting stone down the length of his sword. "I've been in his company pretty much non-stop for the past six months, and it only took a few days to see that he wasn't going to open up to anybody. Did you see the way he looked at you? I was surprised you didn't curl up and die from the force of it. That was _hatred, _in a way I haven't seen before. Nothing else."

Looking up at Naruto's enraged face, the white-haired man just shrugged. There was an unruly screech as the whetting stone made another round. "Not that I'm a scientist or nothing. I'm just telling you what I think."

"You-" Naruto's fists trembled. "You don't know anything about him, or our friendship!"

"I know enough to see that whatever was between you is gone. You're carrying a torch that burned out for him a long time ago, Naruto."

"You wouldn't understand, you've never even learned what bonds mean!"

"You don't have to get angry-"

"You don't have to be an asshole!"

(_maybe,_) A voice whispered hesitantly in the back of his mind, (_maybe the reason you're so upset is that you think he might be right_)

Juugo glanced between them and smiled uneasily. "Hey, guys, we're all friends here-"

"Except for the slight detail that I'm your fucking prisoner, if you haven't forgotten-"

"...point taken, but there's no need to fight. Su, would it kill you to sugar-coat something for once?"

"It probably would. Subtlety isn't his strong point." Karin jibed from the sidelines.

Suigetsu bit back a growl. "Fine. Here's the nicest version I can think of. Even if Sasuke _did_ want to go back to Konoha with you – which is a pretty far stretch, considering we're going to bomb the place in a couple of weeks – what the hell makes you think that you can just magically undo a lifetime of emotional instability and-"

He was stopped by the sight of Naruto's face, which had gone deathly pale underneath his tanned exterior. The blond had jumped to his feet and paced towards him, sticking a trembling finger in front of Suigetsu's nose.

"What did you say?"

(_i must have misheard it i had to_)

Suigetsu grinned his lazy, provocative grin. "I said that you're no psychiatrist and Sasuke is way more for you-"

"No!" The blond interrupted impatiently, fingers twitching. "About Konoha. What did you say? _Bomb _it?"

"...oh." Suigetsu's smile withered into nothing, and he raised a hand to scratch at his neck awkwardly. Juugo's mouth pressed into a fine line, and he looked away.

"Well... kinda, yeah." Suigetsu traced the hilt of his sword with a thin digit. "Sasuke's orders." He shrugged again, wincing. "Wasn't supposed to let you know. Oops."

"Suigetsu, you are officially a complete moron." Karin sighed, raising her hand to her forehead. He turned to her angrily.

"Look, I forgot, alright? Can we just focus on the situation?"

"Too late." Juugo said quietly, and the others looked over to see that Naruto was already gone.

_aaa_

"Sasuke! _Sasuke_!"

One of Sasuke's eyebrows twitched as he looked up from his kneeling position on the ground. The jutsu scroll that Team Hawk had worked so hard to procure was spread out on the ground in front of him, kanji scrawled across it in a brownish ink that looked suspiciously like dried blood. The moment he saw Naruto looking at it, the raven flicked his wrist and rolled it up into a cylinder once more, looking steadily to the side.

"What." His tone was flat.

"I'll fucking tell you what! What the hell is this about bombing Konoha?" The whole world actually seemed to shake in front of Naruto's eyes, although he knew it was more likely that he was the one shaking. He had never made a point of restraining his anger, but now it felt that if he did not try to contain it, it would come pouring out in a form far worse than the Kyuubi.

A charged silence followed his question, while Sasuke stood and said nothing. The sunlight filtered through the trees and dappled a pattern of gleaming highlights onto his hair. If his face hadn't looked so dead, he would have been beautiful.

(_he still is, in a way_)

"Well? It's not true, is it?"

It seemed impossible for Sasuke to close off any further than he already had, but Naruto watched something in his eyes slam completely shut.

"I'll say this once only. For both our sakes, don't ask me about it."

His question effectively answered, Naruto stood in front of the Uchiha for a second, breathing hard.

(_keep calm keep calm keep calm there's gotta be an explanation_)

Fuck that. Naruto curled his hand into a fist and let it fly, feeling only a sickening satisfaction as he heard Sasuke's nose crack and watched the Uchiha's eyes widen in surprise. And then he lost himself to a tide of anger, fists and legs lashing out in an effort to _hurt, _let Sasuke know feel just how much those words were crawling around his stomach, burning slowly as they sunk ever deeper into him. He was vaguely aware of Sasuke's hard limbs countering his strikes, doing nothing to attack back... merely brushing his advances like annoyances. This realization made Naruto growl harder, push forward with left hooks and kicks and roundhouse punches, techniques that he knew were sloppy and probably couldn't even have defeated a twelve-year old Sasuke, let alone this alien and powerful one.

He paused for a moment to catch his breath, leaning over his knees, and felt more than saw the disdainful smirk on Sasuke's lips.

"Done yet?"

Naruto straightened and lifted his eyes. Sasuke's own dark ones met them, and Naruto used the opportunity to deliver a straight kick to his solar plexus, putting all his rage and frustration into it. Sasuke lost his balance and skidded backwards, landing on his rear. The scroll slipped out of his belt, sliding away into the dirt.

"Now I am!" Naruto snarled at him. Sasuke stared at him impassively, a thin trickle of blood trailing down from his nose over his lips, and drew his legs in to sit cross-legged on the ground. The obvious message (_i'm not impressed_) made Naruto set his jaw, and he strode forward, crouching down to pick up the scroll.

"Stop." The command was quiet but firm. Naruto's fingers hesitated only for a moment before moving forward to grab it. The paper was old and flimsy, smooth as cloth against his fingertips.

There was a slight disturbance of the air, and Sasuke's hand clasped tightly around his wrist. The roughness of his palm was a direct contrast to the scroll, and Naruto strangely found that he preferred the former. The blond looked defiantly at him, noting vindictively that blood was still snaking over his pale lips and chin.

"I told you to stop." The pressure around his wrist threatened to snap it, but Naruto gritted his teeth and tightened his grip.

"Unlike your lackeys, I don't have to listen to you."

"Give me the scroll. I won't hesitate to break your arm, Naruto."

"Bullshit. I know you. If you meant that, you would have done it already."

They stared at each other, Naruto crouching and Sasuke kneeling amid the rustling grass. The sun beating down on his back made uncomfortable flashes of heat blossom across his muscles, and Naruto sourly reflected that everything had to be a fucking power game with this guy.

"Fine. Bastard. I'll trade you. The scroll for your reason for using it against Konoha."

Sasuke's eyes bored into him, and he felt a bead of sweat slide down his spine. The hand around his wrist tightened for a second and then abruptly released.

"You have to push _everything_, don't you?"

When Naruto didn't answer, Sasuke looked at the sky for a second, then back to him. His face was empty.

"Very well, I'll tell you my reason. You won't like it, though."

Naruto sat back on his haunches and tucked the scroll down the front of his shirt. "No, no, I'm sure it's perfectly logical and sane like all your other ones. Go ahead."

Sasuke shrugged. "The people of Konoha discriminated against, manipulated, and murdered both my brother and my clan."

_(...)_

Naruto bolted upright, fists clenching. "That's insane! Itachi killed your family, Sasuke, not Konoha! What the hell makes you think that?!"

"Itachi was forced into doing it by the advisors because the Uchihas were planning a rebellion. Rather than face the situation diplomatically like the supposed values of our village dictates, Danzo and the advisers ordered that they be eliminated." Sasuke's monotone broke into spikes of anger as he spoke, face darkening further with every word.

"Everything we ever fought for, Naruto, every single goddamn mission and lecture about friendship and honor and peace... it was all a fucking lie. Konoha embodies none of what I thought it did – it epitomises everything that's wrong with the world of the shinobi. And as its agent, so do you."

Naruto felt cold, colder than he ever had, even though the sun was shining.

Sasuke finished with a bitter, twisted smile. "I will fulfill my duty as the Avenger of the Uchiha clan. Konoha will be destroyed by my hand, and I'll laugh among the ruins."

It was strangely quiet, like the world had stopped to listen to them. "Does that answer all your questions, Naruto?"

It took a moment to remember how to speak. "I-I don't know who told you that, Sasuke, or why they would do it, but it's a lie."

"Obviously that was my initial reaction to it, too. But thinking back on that time... it makes perfect sense. We've always known something was deeply flawed in our village, Naruto. In all of them. We shinobi are too violent to coexist peacefully... the system will collapse before long. I merely aim to help that along."

"Are you seriously suggesting that the Third Hokage just sat on his ass and allowed it to happen? Don't be stupid, Sasuke! You know the people of Konoha! You're one of us! How can you even think this?"

An arm shot out, blindingly fast, and deftly plucked the scroll from the front of Naruto's shirt. The slightest brush of his callused fingers against the hard muscles of his chest make Naruto tense, skin prickling.

Something like scorn laced through Sasuke's words. "I almost feel sorry for you, Naruto. Your naivety and blindness are endearing to some, but in reality they just reveal your weakness. Think what you wish – I know the truth, and I will enact my revenge. Don't try to stop me."

Naruto stood, knees creaking in protest, and felt about a thousand years old. "No. You're more in need of pity than I am. I'm sorry, Sasuke – I'm sorry that your clan is dead, no matter who was really the cause. I'm sorry that you're alone, because I know how that feels, and I'm sorry that you chose a different path than mine. A lot of things are should have been different. But what I'm really sorry for, Sasuke... is not being a good enough friend."

Seeming unsettled by Naruto looking down at him, Sasuke rose to his feet and crossed his arms, scroll cradled against his chest. "That should be the least of your worries. Your friendship has never mattered to me."

(_ouch_)

Naruto smiled at him sadly. "Maybe if I had been a better friend to you, you would have seen that we could have done it all together. You and me and Sakura... we would have been unstoppable. And maybe you would have seen that this didn't need to happen. That Konoha isn't like you think."

He breathed out deeply. "I failed you, and I'm sorry. But it's not too late to come back."

"You don't get it. I will _die _before I return to Konoha." Sasuke spit at him. Then his mouth curled into a cruel smile. "And I can already see that you will die trying to change my mind. I'm sorry for one thing only, Naruto – that you won't live to see your false village collapse around you."

Naruto stood stock still for a moment, his stomach free-falling through space. Then he said, slowly, "I met Itachi, you know."

It was impossible for Sasuke to completely hide the flash of interest (_and longing_) in his eyes.

"We talked about what he wanted for you." Naruto drew himself up, anger making his words icy and cutting. "And I don't think it would be possible for him to be more disappointed in how you turned out."

With that, he spun on his heel and left Sasuke standing calf-deep in the hissing grass, looking out-of-place and utterly alone.

_aaa_

"He's not the same. I wanted everything to be the way it was before he left. Fuck. _Fuck._"

Naruto sat against a tree, knees drawn up to his chest and head in his arms. Juugo sat beside him, looking serenely up at the sky.

"Life just doesn't work like that, kid."

Naruto wiped furiously at his eyes, which were treacherously beginning to blur.

(_i don't know if i can do this_)

"I won't let him destroy Konoha!"

The man closed his eyes, a strange shiver crossing his face. It was gone in an instant. "Then you'll have to kill him."

Naruto physically recoiled away from him, horrified. "Never."

"Bit of a paradox, then, I'm afraid."

"There's got to be another way."

Juugo shrugged. Naruto turned on him suddenly, emotions brimming over. "And how do _you _agree with this, Juugo? Doesn't it weigh on your conscience?"

The big man had the grace to look guilty, his peaceful expression becoming one of uncertainty. "In ways that you wouldn't believe, kid. But I... I owe Sasuke so much..."

"Enough to kill an entire village?" Naruto caught his gaze.

"You don't know what I'm capable of."

Naruto sighed violently. "Konohamaru is about twelve now. He used to follow me around everywhere – pretty cute, actually. He wears this funny white cape that he thinks looks cool (which is totally dorky), but he learned my main technique way faster than I did. I watched him cry for probably one of the last times in his life at the Third's funeral. Even so, one blow from you will take him out."

"Stop. You don't understand, I _need _him..."

"Hinata Hyuuga is just about the sweetest girl I've ever met in my life. Never says a bad word about anyone, was nice to me even when everyone else hated my guts for what I am. Has a habit of raising her finger to her lips when she's nervous, but when she smiles it's like... it's like the sun coming out after rain. Suigetsu will make short work of her."

"Please, Naruto, don't-" Juugo shuddered, a deep wracking one that caused him to hunch in on himself. But Naruto, too full of emotions, of things to say, plunged onwards.

"There's an old man who runs the best ramen shop in the entire world down the street from me. He gave me free ramen when I was young and couldn't afford it, and helps out every week at the local orphanage. He'll die trying to protect his daughter from you four, because even though he doesn't believe in violence and has never hurt anyone in his life he loves her _that fucking much_."

Juugo was rocking back and forth, whimpering. Forty feet away, Karin bolted upright from her prone position and stared at them in horror, reaching out blindly to grab the collar of Suigetsu's shirt and whisper frantically to him.

"There are hundreds of innocent people that will die, because of you!"

And something snapped.

A high-pitched, whining laugh came from Juugo. "Good... kill... death... I want to kill now..."

Strange markings zigzagged over his face, in a formation that Naruto recognized far too late as that of the Curse Seal. He looked up, and Naruto took a step back at the crazed glee radiating from his normally gentle eyes.

(_shit i went too far like i always do this habit has got to stop_)

"You first!" Juugo roared, and leaped towards him with both hands outstretched. Naruto ducked at the last instant, diving to the side and tumbling forward into an awkward roll that left him disoriented. The absence of his chakra cut keenly, and as the massive man advanced towards him, he realized that it gave him severely limited options with which to defend himself.

"Oh, you _idiot_!" His view from his position on the ground was suddenly blocked by Karin's leather-clad legs as she placed herself between him and Juugo. "What on earth possessed you to provoke him?"

"What's going on?" Naruto demanded, struggling to his feet. They both backed up, chilled by the calculation in the smile on Juugo's face. It was uncomfortably like a cat deciding just how much to play with its food before going for the kill.

"Which one, which one? Girls are easier to kill, but then, the boy is already sick inside..." He grinned.

"He's unstable." Karin muttered out of the side of her mouth, green chakra beginning to flicker out of her hands. "And in this form, extremely dangerous. Only Sasuke can control him. I've sent Suigetsu to go find him... in the meantime, we have to try and restrain him."

"How?" Naruto whispered furiously. "You're blocking my chakra!"

"Use your imagination!" She snapped, just as Juugo lunged forward once more, teeth showing in a manic smile.

"The sick one it is!" Naruto barely saw the huge hand before it was wrapped around his throat, pinning him to a tree. He heard a crack, and hoped to whatever gods there were that it was the bark and not his skull, although judging from the explosion of white before his eyes, it might very well have been.

"That's it..." Juugo bared his teeth, constricting his fingers, and despite Naruto's legs repeatedly kicking at his ribs, arms, kneecaps... he laughed again.

"Juugo-" Naruto choked out, hearing his voice squeak and grind, "It's me! Come on, don't give in to this!"

"It's no use, there's no reasoning with him when he's like this." Karin jabbed at the back of Juugo's knee, causing the man to buckle suddenly. The fingers around Naruto's throat loosened, and he bit at them, tasting salt and hot metal as his assailant grunted in pain.

"Pin him!" Karin twisted one of Juugo's arms behind her back, knee at the small of his back. Naruto stooped to grab the other one and force it back, but stopped at the gleeful expressions curving across Juugo's face. Something was wrong, but he hadn't even opened his mouth to warn his unlikely ally before the man threw himself backwards, crushing Karin between the ground and the full weight of his bulk. Naruto winced as he heard the unmistakable snap of bone and a shrill cry. Juugo then turned swiftly, grinning as he hauled Karin off the ground by her beautiful hair. She screamed, and Naruto was jolted into action. Grabbing a large branch, he wielded it between two hands like a club and rushed towards Juugo, but not quickly enough to stop him from slinging Karin into a tree hard enough to splinter it.

"Why aren't you moving? Don't you want to play, little girlie?" The orange-haired man chuckled, then whirled to catch the branch that was whistling towards him with all the might Naruto could muster. One hand was enough to stop it dead in its trajectory, while the other curved around and punched the blond in the stomach, causing him to stagger backwards and sink to his knees, winded and gasping for air. He could feel Juugo's eyes flicking indecisively between him and Karin, who was trying to drag herself to her feet with trembling arms. It was little use, though – her legs were twisted at an odd angle, and she eventually collapsed to the ground.

"Who to kill first? Girlie, or cripple?" He giggled. "Cripple or girlie?"

"Stay away from him, Juugo!" Karin spat, sending a kunai slicing through the air in his direction. "Sasuke will never forgive if you kill him before its time!"

Feeling like his lungs were about to cave in, Naruto lurched to his feet as Juugo turned and caught the kunai between two fingers, then sent it right back to its owner. Unable to dodge, it caught Karin in the shoulder with a solid thump. Her mouth opened soundlessly in pain.

"Ready to die, girlie?"

Juugo's eyes glittered as he moved swiftly forward, raising the tree branch Naruto had used against him. Karin gazed at him through hazy eyes.

"Don't you remember me?" Her mouth shook slightly, and as he stumbled forward Naruto realized that she was crying (_and not out of pain, that's the way sakura and i cried in orochimaru's hideout_).

"You're just my prey."

"I'm your friend." Her eyes remained locked with his. Naruto's breath began coming a little easier, and he dropped into a crouching run.

Juugo brought the branch above his head. A tear dripped off Karin's jaw to wet the ground below.

"You'll regret this when you wake up." She said quietly, eyes on his face. Naruto saw her leg twitch, but otherwise she remained still as she faced her fate. A small measure of admiration welled up in his chest, despite his extreme dislike for the woman. "You promised me this would never happen."

"Time to die!" Juugo laughed, and swung the branch downwards in an arc that would surely kill her.

"But... I forgive you." Karin closed her eyes.

And was suddenly dragged sideways. The blow crashed into the tree, causing it to literally disintegrate. Wooden shrapnel flew out in all directions, embedding themselves in attacker and victims alike.

Naruto grunted as tiny splinters peppered his face, but kept on dragging Karin backwards through the forest, legs threatening to give way beneath him.

"You can't get away from me!" Juugo howled, arm blocking his face to protect it from the projectiles. Taking advantage of his opponent's momentary blindness, Naruto pulled Karin behind a massive tree that blocked both of them from sight and crouched down next to her. Her face was ashen, but her mouth quirked at him strangely.

"Nice save." She whispered. "Could have been a few seconds earlier, but nice nonetheless."

Deciding that was probably all the thanks he was going to get from her, Naruto nodded his head briefly.

"Release my chakra."

She shook her head, the movement obviously costing her as she gasped and hunched over. "Can't. Sasuke forbid it."

Naruto peeked around the edge of the tree. Juugo was walking slowly in their direction, eyes darting around to catch the slightest hint of movement. Withdrawing, he grasped her shoulders firmly.

"He'll forgive you, Karin. Without it, I'm helpless and you might die."

Her breath came shallowly, but her eyes gleamed at him suspiciously. "You could kill me."

(_it crossed my mind_)

"To be honest, I could right now. But I haven't. Doesn't that say something?"

The crunching of leaves under Juugo's feet came within a few feet of their hiding place. Her eyes squeezed shut suddenly, and another tear trailed down her cheek.

"I won't let him hurt you. I promise." Naruto whispered fiercely.

"I don't need protecting!" She hissed at him, but at the sound of a twig splitting on the other side of the tree, she nodded. Screwing up her face, she placed a hand on his forehead. A small shiver jolted through him as she released a sharp spike of chakra.

"The Kyuubi's still sealed away, but your normal power is free."

Naruto drifted away for a second, the warm wash of tingling strength that he hadn't even noticed was missing seeping back into his circulation. He heard a sound (_voice?_), but didn't register it until he felt Karin's hand against his chest, forcefully shoving him backwards. He tumbled back into the leaves, narrowly avoiding Juugo's fist, which swung in a wide semi-circle from where his head had been to Karin's stomach.

The resulting spatter of blood against his face brought Naruto back into reality. Juugo bent down and picked Karin up by the scruff of her collar, grinning, and braced her against the tree.

"_Rasengan_!"

Juugo howled as the whirlwind of chakra struck the base of his spine. His hand spasmed and released Karin, dropping her to the ground with a thud where she lay unnaturally still. Before the giant could finish turning around, however, Naruto summoned ten clones that leaped on him, dragging him backwards into a clear patch and forcing him to the ground. The real Naruto settled into a crouch on his chest, eyes blazing.

"Alright. I don't know what the hell is wrong with you or who you are, but I want Juugo back _now_!"

Juugo bucked, but under the combined weight of the clones weighing his limbs down, he was helpless.

"I'll get you, cripple." Juugo licked his lips, eyes darting. "I'll listen to your bones crunch like leaves... crack them and let the marrow feed the dogs..."

"Enough!" Naruto grit his teeth and landed a solid blow on his cheek. "_Nothing _pisses me off more than people who forget their humanity."

The change was very sudden – Juugo's face morphed from a grotesque snarl to a confused frown, and his eyes lightened back to their original amber in a matter of seconds.

"What...?" He asked, head moving from side to side as he took stock of his surroundings. "Naruto, how did you...?" He stopped, squinting up at the blond. "You brought me back to myself. Only Sasuke can do that."

"Well, I've always said that he's not as great as everyone thinks he is." Naruto muttered, releasing him from the shadow clones with a sigh and sinking to the ground. His head pounded, blood thrumming through his ears like an incessant waterfall.

"I can't believe it-" Juugo's tone went from incredulous to horrified. There was a sudden, wild crunch of leaves, and a low groan that sent a cold chill down Naruto's spine. He looked up to see Juugo kneeling by Karin's still form, hands fluttering around her face.

"Oh my god... oh god... Karin..." He hunched over, fingers ghosting her shoulder. "Please wake up... oh god... my promise..."

"What is this?" Sasuke's voice barked from one of the thick upper branches of a tree. He leaped downward and landed gracefully on the ground, followed by an out-of-breath Suigetsu. The latter ran immediately to Karin's side and blanched, while Sasuke's sharingan darted around the clearing, no doubt picking up the traces of chakra that still remained.

"Karin..." Suigetsu slid two fingers under her neck, breathing an audible sigh of relief. "She's alive."

(_not for long in that state_)

The white-haired shinobi clenched his fists and rounded on Juugo, usually playful eyes narrowed into slits. "How could you let this happen?"

Juugo looked down and crossed his arms over his chest, seeming to shrink under the gaze. "I'm sorry."

"Shit, Juugo, _look_ at her! 'Sorry' isn't good enough!" Suigetsu growled, dropping his pack to the ground and producing a medical kit. Naruto watched the way his hands gently felt around her injuries, the glinting burn of concern and anger fuming in his eyes, and wondered if Suigetsu knew just how obvious his feelings were.

(_i wonder if anyone will ever look at me like that when i'm hurt_)

"You swore, _swore _when you joined this group that you'd never be able to hurt any of us." Suigetsu hissed, binding one of her legs to a sturdy branch.

"I know I did." Juugo muttered, head in his hands. "I know. I thought I'd always be stopped in time."

"You should have been. That was the goddamn promise, wasn't it, Sasuke?" He yanked tight a bandage, eyes moving to the Uchiha, who glared back coolly.

"I cannot be in Juugo's company for every second of every day. It's simply not possible."

Suigetsu growled and stood up, marching over to him. "Understandable, but the least you can do is to be within range." Sticking a finger stained with Karin's blood in Sasuke's face, his voice rose to a shout. "It's unacceptable how far you've been sending him out of your reach. Our lives have been in danger for _weeks _because you always bugger off to do solo missions or practice or go brood about your shitty lot in life, and look at the result!" He gestured wildly to Karin, who remained unconscious.

Sasuke gazed at her for a moment, then looked back to the white-haired shinobi dismissively. "Your time would be better spent tending to her wounds then yelling at me, Suigetsu."

"For the love of... you don't even _care_, do you?"

"I have less medical experience than you and am therefore less suited to the job of minding her. And you... you care altogether too much, don't you?"

At the cruel, knowing look in Sasuke's eye, Suigetsu swore and returned to Karin's side, slapping Juugo's hands away when he reached forward to help.

"You've done enough!"

The hurt on Juugo's face before he turned away made Naruto's heart squeeze. The big man shambled a few meters away, where he leaned against a tree and buried his head in his arms. Sasuke moved over to him, standing neutrally with his hands clasped behind his back.

"I let down my part of our bargain. It will not happen again."

_The Uchiha way of saying 'I fucked up bad, pretty please forgive me'_, Naruto scoffed internally. He staggered to his feet and slowly made his way over to the pair, coming close enough to catch his next whisper.

"I wish you had killed me when I attacked you at the western base." Juugo's voice was muffled, but sincere.

"I needed you."

"What he _means,_" Naruto cut in, glaring at Sasuke, "Is that you shouldn't beat yourself up over this. It's uncontrollable, right?"

"Yeah." Juugo started in surprise when the blond sat next to him and put an arm around his shoulder.

"Well, I can tell you that I've done way worse than this when the Kyuubi took control a couple times. I really hurt someone that was close to me, but she forgave me. And as long as you're surrounded by people that are precious to you, you'll be able to control yourself more and more." Naruto smiled, and something like hope flickered in Juugo's eyes.

"Really?"

"You bet!" Flashing a thumbs up at him, Naruto found his eyes sliding to Sasuke, who was determinedly staring at the tree with his hands hanging loosely at his sides.

"I never thought of it like that." Juugo murmured, looking at the limp body of Karin. "Maybe I can do better than this."

He raised his head and placed his hand on the blond's knee. "Naruto... thanks for stopping me before I went further."

The blond grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "No biggie. Glad there's more than one person who can do it."

"_You _stopped him?" Sasuke interrupted sharply, face growing dark when Naruto nodded, a challenge in his eye.

(_we'll see who's truly weak before all this is over, won't we?_)

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Not so much Sasuke in this chapter, but he'll be a central player in the next one. Reviews are welcome - see you next time!**


	6. Understanding

**Title**: Daybreak**  
Chapter Title**: Understanding  
**Summary**: _Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning_. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks. **  
Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within, to my regret. Many thanks to the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto.

**Author's Note**: Wow, and I thought _my _Sasuke was a dick. Check out chapter 480 - that was just _cold_. I really don't see any way for him to be believably redeemed at this point in the manga. It kind of makes me sad - of course I still want him to be saved, but I just don't think I'll be very satisfied with how it's done. Thoughts? Is he still redeemable at this point?

Anyways, in order to make up for the very long break, here's the longest chapter so far. A special note: this is the end of the first arc. I'm so excited! Hope you enjoy!

Also, this is now officially the longest thing I've ever written. And we're only about a quarter of the way through! I'm determined to see this fic through to the end now.

And finally... again, thanks for all the reviews! You guys are amazing - I love you all! Special thanks to: **Strangeblossom, Mistress Sundrop, Kyoko kitty-chan, droptheice, the birdster, **and **xXMikomiUchihaXx**!Thanks for sticking with me - mwah!

* * *

**Daybreak **

**Chapter 6: Understanding**

Although things in Hawk remained the same on the surface, there was a charged undercurrent between all of them that meant there was little talk and even less laughter over the following few days. Things had avoided coming to a head, though, as Juugo, who was responsible for carrying the injured Karin, had spoken to her privately for over an hour two days after the incident. When they had rejoined the group, she was unsmiling and his eyes were bloodshot, but they seemed somewhat at peace with each other.

The uneasy tension was seemingly gone for today, though. The whole team, except for Sasuke, sat together on the riverbank where they had stopped for the afternoon, playing some sort of card game that he couldn't comprehend in the slightest. Naruto, hot and irritated from the hundreds of tiny cuts on his arms that had become infected, sat away from the group and tended to his own wounds, smearing the largest gash on his bicep with salve before tying a chunky swath of linen around it.

"I can help with that."

Naruto looked up to see Karin silhouetted against the sun, the light making her hair a fiery halo. He made a face as she offered her arm to him, scarred by years of anonymous teeth.

"No offense, but I really, really don't want to bite you. It's beyond gross."

Her glasses glinted at him. "Fine. I don't really want your disgusting mouth on me anyways. I could bandage it better, though. Whoever tied that monstrosity obviously had no idea what they were doing."

"I did that." He protested, but she lowered herself to the ground to work on it, skilled fingers correcting the bumps and knots in the bandage. Naruto glanced at her legs, which were still bound to splints at the shin and thigh, and were splayed at awkward angles against the ground. Although heavily damaged, she was able to hobble, which was a good deal better than anyone had expected her to do.

"You're healing fast." He noted. The bruises on her neck and face had already begun to mellow from rich plum to a wane yellow, making her look like a patchwork quilt.

"My body just works like that." She muttered. "Kind of like you."

"Minus the whole being a monster thing." He joked, and thought he saw her frown as she tied the linen off, making the whole thing much more streamlined. Karin got clumsily back onto her feet, leaning heavily on her crutch, and paused. There was a moment of fairly awkward silence, where she opened her mouth several times before finally grinding out, "Look, we haven't talked much, since, well..." She tapped the splint on her thigh. It was odd to see her without her legendary boots – she looked more modest... and agreeable, somehow. Once again, he was reminded of Sakura as the light continued to filter through her hair. She coughed awkwardly and continued. "But good job on handling what happened... you know, back there. I might have been fucked otherwise."

Naruto grinned, getting to his feet and stretching. "_I_ say you would have been pretty screwed. It's alright, you can just come out and admit that I'm totally awesome."

She smacked him painfully on the shoulder, usual scowl back in place. "Honestly, you're as bad as Suigetsu. Men. All the same." She shook her head.

"Actually, you might want to thank him instead." Naruto nodded over to the white-haired shinobi, who was engaged in a rare moment of serious conversation with Juugo, cards forgotten on the ground. "He bandaged you up pretty well."

"Yeah, well, that's his job." She said under her breath, picking at the bark of her makeshift crutch. "But you didn't have to do what you did. It would have been better for you if I had died."

Naruto shrugged. "Well, at this point we've been through a lot together. We might as well call each other friends. And I _never _give up on my friends." He laughed at her frozen expression.

"Don't be ridiculous. We're not _friends._" The redhead sputtered eventually, flushing. "_Friend _implies that there's some sort of quality about you that I like. You're annoying and obnoxious and crude and idiotic and-"

Naruto merely laughed again. "And you took a hit that was meant for me, even though you were already injured. If that isn't friendship, what is?"

Grinning at her silence, he stuck his hands in his pockets and sauntered down to the stream, reflecting idly that one could find precious people in even the oddest of places. Strangely enough, he thought as he skipped out to a large rock half-submerged in the running water and settled onto it, he found that he was beginning to like his captors. Sakura would have hit him for even thinking it and then gone on to explain Stockholm Syndrome or whatever the hell it was called, but watching them now – Karin, busy smearing salve on Juugo's cuts while the big man murmured to her in an undertone; Suigetsu, grinning as he was yelled at for interjecting with a rude remark; and Juugo, deep relief in his face as he understood Karin's act to be a measure of forgiveness – Naruto felt some sort of small glow, the same warmth of friendship that a smile from Kiba or Ino brought to his heart.

"They're a good group." Sasuke said quietly behind him, and the small glow coalesced into a burn against his solar plexus. Naruto scooted around on the rock, and found himself face to face with the Uchiha's knees, unable to see his face against the glare of the sun. That was fine with him – it took all his self control not to just launch himself to attack the stupid bastard right then.

"They are. Kinda makes me wonder what they're doing here with you."

Sasuke made a sound that might have been a snort. "Surprised that I can get people to like me too? You're not the only one who can form bonds."

"Some bonds." Naruto muttered, glowering at a frayed hole in the raven's left pant cuff. "What happened with Juugo was a joke. They deserve better treatment, Sasuke. You can't treat your friends like they're just your tools."

"Tch. They all knew what it would be like when they signed on." Sasuke exhaled slowly. "Karin thinks she's in love with me, so she won't leave. Suigetsu was chasing that idiotic, chakra-guzzling sword of his when we started out, but now he's just following her. Juugo needs me to contain him. It's a good arrangement."

"Is this all people are to you now? Means to an end?" Naruto demanded, rising to his feet. Anger throbbed at his temples and slowly colored his vision.

Sasuke regarded him coolly, the water surface beneath his feet rippling while he shifted his weight back and forth on his feet, as if in indecision.

"I need to know." Naruto said quietly, half expecting the raven to simply walk away, like he always did when something got too personal.

But he didn't.

"Most of them, yes. But not you. You never were, Naruto." Sasuke's eyes met his in a challenge-

(_for _what_, exactly? what do you want from me?_)

-and he stared back, both of them refusing to be the first to look away.

"If I'm not a tool to you, then what am I?"

Too far. Sasuke's lip curled. "You're going Kyuubi." He said, sharingan bleeding into his eyes and spinning rapidly. A tide of irrational anger Naruto had barely registered was there ebbed away as the fox's influence left his body.

With a disdainful look, Sasuke turned and began to walk back to shore. Naruto reached out on an impulse and grabbed his sleeve gently, pulling him backwards.

"Wait."

Immediately, he was aware of a hushed silence from the riverbank. Karin's eyes flicked between them before narrowing into daggers at Naruto. Suigetsu hid a poorly-disguised smirk behind a yawn and watched them both with a glittering gaze, and Juugo was studiously examining the sky, looking thoughtful.

"What?" Sasuke snapped, snatching his arm away.

"Since you're too emotionally retarded to talk about us..." Naruto waved at the rest of the team. "I want to know about them. What you have is more than just an arrangement. You're someone they think of as a friend. Probably their first real friend ever... the way it was with us."

Sasuke cocked his head, amusement twisting his lips up. "Was? Have you finally stopped considering me a friend, Naruto?"

His face heated, and he squinted against the sun to see him better. "Sort of... I don't know if there's a word for what you are, anymore."

Sasuke said nothing, but his eyes remained alertly fixed in the way that Naruto had come to recognize as intent concentration. Another vague sense that he was being tested somehow settled on his shoulders, and he scowled.

"Brother, maybe."

(_or the rhyme..._)

The raven's lip curled. "I have only one brother. And apparently, he would be disappointed in me."

Naruto winced at the reminder of his words, but he said stubbornly, "I meant what I said. He wouldn't want you doing this."

Sasuke shifted impatiently. "I know that you think I'm doing this for selfish reasons. And... you'd be right." He held up a hand to forestall Naruto's heated comment. "But you need to understand something."

Naruto snapped his mouth shut. Sasuke's eyes softened a miniscule bit as he took in the blond's face, the bright angry spark in his eyes. "You're a good person, Naruto."

(..._huh_?)

"You're compassionate, and care more about other people than you do yourself. Selfless... the exact opposite of me, don't you think? Don't blush, it makes you look like an idiot. " His eyes drifted to the left, watching the rapids swirl and eddy around a tree branch trailing in the water.

"The stupid little brat I first met is gone... with your growth and power, I'm sure you're on the way to becoming a jounin. They've probably marked you out as a potential candidate for Hokage by now. They always choose a leader like you – charismatic, strong and always, unfailingly, stupidly selfless. The Second, Third, Fourth... they all sacrificed themselves for the village. I know you would too, if it came down to it. It's the kind of person you are. Inexplicably _noble_."

This was simply not happening. Sasuke Uchiha did not just hand out (admittedly double-edged) compliments left and right – you couldn't drag them out of him with wild horses.

"But..."

(_ah, there we go_)

His eyes snapped back to Naruto. "You make the typical mistake of a good person. You think that everyone is fundamentally like you... that any darkness is a cause of unfortunate circumstance, and that's where you're dangerously wrong."

"Darkness isn't absolute _or _just... automatically part of someone." Naruto gestured to their companions on the shore, who had stopped watching the confrontation and were sitting in a semicircle, the quiet warmth of friendship calming their movements. Even Suigetsu and Karin had stopped arguing for a rare moment. "Look at them. When I first met them they almost tortured me, but you can see how each other's company is improving them."

Sasuke laughed harshly. "Look closer. Suigetsu killed his entire year group a decade after the practice was stopped in his village, for no other reason than he wanted to prove himself, and that it was fun. He was eight years old."

Something inside him went deathly cold as Sasuke continued. "Karin willingly ran Orochimaru's western hideout, torturing and executing anyone who dared oppose him, because she was attracted to his power. Juugo has slaughtered entire villages in his rages, down to the last child, but lacks the will to kill himself and so end the suffering of others. What you see before you is only a lighter spell in their lives – the pain and hatred that each of them carries for their own reasons has twisted them far beyond recognition of what they might have been in another life. Do you still see them as good people? And I..."

His smile grew sarcastic. "I've betrayed my friends and my village, and you personally, perhaps the person who least deserved it. I've fallen in with criminals, accepted darkness and revenge as my way of life, and turned my back on everything that you stand for. I broke Sakura's heart, and used Kakashi's jutsu and secrets against my teammates... the one act he despises above all others. I've tried to kill you twice, and am bringing you to your death now, all for the love of a brother that I never truly knew... all for a clan that was cursed to bloodshed and unhappiness from the very beginning. I have given you every reason in the world to hate me. So tell me, Naruto... am I still a good person?"

The blond crossed his arms, the motion comforting in the turbulent wake of Sasuke's words. Tilting his head, Naruto saw nothing but bitter conviction on the face opposite him.

He wet his lips and saw Sasuke's eyes flick down to his mouth momentarily. A little thrill shivered across his stomach.

"You may have forgotten, but I didn't... that day on the bridge." Naruto said, starting slowly. "When you stepped between me and Haku. You _died _for me, Sasuke. For _me. _Someone you barely knew. Even worse – someone you _hated_."

Sasuke's expression soured, like he didn't particularly care to hear anything contradicting his statement.

Naruto smiled. "During the Chunin exams, you were ready to fight – and die – for Konoha. You faced _Gaara _for Sakura and me. When Itachi came for me, you fought for your own reasons... but you also protected me."

He paused, inwardly wincing at the anger that flashed across Sasuke's brow at the mention of his brother.

"Every time that you've had the opportunity to kill me, you didn't. Even now, when by all rights you should have me in chains, you're letting me walk freely."

The smile faded, and he faced the Uchiha intently. "So if you want my opinion, Sasuke, I'll tell you. Yes. You're a good person. I think you've just forgotten it."

He held up a hand, forestalling Sasuke's scathing comment. "But you know what else? I think you _want_ to remember what it's like. Because I know you, and there's no reason you'd ask _me _for moral judgment unless you weren't sure of your own. I call it like I see it, and what I see is someone who's scared that it's too late to turn back. But it's not too late, Sasuke. It never is."

Sasuke's jaw clenched for a second. "This was what I was referring too. Useless naivety." He muttered under his breath. Then he turned to the river bank and started walking towards it briskly, calling over his shoulder. "It was a rhetorical question, idiot."

"Rhetorical, my ass!" Naruto shouted back, unaware of the three pairs of eyes that suddenly focused on him. "If you don't want to hear the answer to a question, _don't ask it_!"

Sasuke flashed him the finger without looking, and they both refused to speak to each other for the rest of the day.

_aaa_

Karin was flirting with Sasuke again, and it was doing little to help maintain the goodwill Naruto had recently cultivated towards her.

(..._another way she's like sakura_...)

Not that he really cared, of course. It was just annoying how girls always fell over themselves to have Sasuke's attention. She was busy explaining the mechanics of the suppression jutsu to him, eyes sparkling, with just a _little_ too much body contact than was absolutely necessary. Which was fine. He really didn't really mind. It wasn't like Sasuke was interested in her anyways – the Uchiha looked as he always did... bored and intense at the same time, which was sort of comforting, but the plain fact was that _her hand absolutely did not need to be on his arm like that_.

"What's up with you? You look ready to gouge someone's eyes out." Suigetsu remarked cheerfully, dropping the firewood he had collected in an unruly heap and throwing himself down beside the blond. After poking Juugo, who waved him off tiredly and closed his eyes, he followed Naruto's line of vision.

"Oh." He said, own expression souring visibly.

"Oh _what?_"

"Oh, as in, I can totally tell that you're jealous." He grinned.

Naruto forced himself to laugh it off. "Jealous? Of _Karin_? Not in a million years."

"Actually... I meant of Sasuke." Suigetsu's eyes glittered with amusement, and Naruto silently willed the ground to just open up and swallow him whole. What a slip of the tongue... could embarrassment kill a person?

"I'm not jealous. Of _anyone._" Stupid face. Stupid tendency to blush. Stupid Suigetsu, who looked like he'd just won the lottery.

"Right." He drawled, and tilted his head, exaggeratedly looking Sasuke up and down. "I guess I can see the attraction. Uchiha does have that whole 'mysterious' thing going on, which I suppose can be a bit of a turn-on..."

"I'm not-"

"And he has a nice body. I mean, perfect hair and everything. If youlike, y'know, dick..."

"I don't!"

"And his personality's equivalent to a grouchy viper, but that matches well with your sort of masochistic tendencies..."

"_Masochistic_?" Naruto sputtered.

Juugo opened his eyes. "How is it that you two always end up talking about Sasuke? Su, stop winding him up."

"But it's so _easy_. And I'm bored." Suigetsu stretched, joints popping. "It's the truth anyways. What's the big deal?"

"How am I masochistic?" Naruto demanded, tearing his eyes away from Karin's obvious delight as Sasuke leaned forward to hear her better, impassive as always.

Juugo sighed. "Suigetsu just doesn't understand that sometimes you have to sacrifice your own happiness to help a friend."

"There's a big difference between temporarily inconveniencing yourself for somebody else and actively seeking out fights that will just hurt both of you." Suigetsu said sharply, and added with a glare, "And _you _have absolutely no say in anything about 'helping your friends', Juugo." He looked pointedly at Karin, whose legs and chest were still tightly bound in the hope that the bones would set right.

The lines around Juugo's mouth deepened as he pressed his lips together. "I am not the one who turned on my own village and friends. I have morals."

"Oh, you want to play it that way?" Suigetsu bared his teeth. "At least I focused on my own age group, and I did it to survive. How many children have you killed, Juugo? Dozens? What about the babies? Were _they _part of your moral system?"

Naruto, having seen first-hand what such sharp words were likely to provoke in Juugo, quietly coiled his muscles in preperation to spring between them, but the questions seemed to drain the man of energy. He turned away... but not before the blond could catch the devastation in his eyes.

"We could trade insults like this all day." He said softly. "But I am not Karin, and I won't lash out at something that you obviously don't mean."

"It's a bit late for you to take the high road, Juugo." Suigetsu snapped. "I mean everything I say, and you know it. Come on, man up and take responsibility for what you've done."

"What do you want from me, Su?" Juugo sighed, turning around to face him. Naruto shifted uncomfortably, feeling like he was intruding on something private. "What can I possibly say to you that will make you forgive me for hurting Karin? Clearly that's the real issue here."

Naruto cut in before Suigetsu could reply. "Hey, cool it, you guys. I'm pretty sure all of us here have done things we regret, okay?"

"That doesn't excuse it." Suigetsu snapped at him, wiry frame visibly tensed.

Juugo rubbed his forehead. The lines on his face looked deeper than normal. "No, it doesn't. I screwed up, really badly, and I know that. All I can do is apologize now. And it looks like that isn't enough, so if you'll excuse me, I'll leave you alone."

He strode into the shadows, shoulders hunched like he was barely keeping himself together.

"Come on, Su, what was the point of that?" Naruto scowled at him. "He can't help it."

A flash of guilty anger distorted the muscles in Suigetsu's cheeks. "That doesn't change what he did."

Naruto's face felt hot. "Look, I know _exactly _how he feels, and I can tell you that having friends like _you_, who make him feel more like a monster, will only make it harder for him to live with himself. So grow the fuck up and leave him alone. You made your point. Don't press it."

"Touchy." Suigetsu mumbled, expression softening as he glanced sideways at the blond. "I forgot that you were a Jinchuuriki. Same boat, huh?"

He snorted. "You forgot the entire reason I'm with you guys?"

"I guess I did." The smaller shinobi looked thoughtful for a second. "That must have sucked when you were younger."

"Yeah. It did." Naruto answered shortly. "But I found people I cared about, who returned the feeling. That kept me from going insane."

Suigetsu had the grace to look vaguely ashamed of himself. "Okay, fine, I was rough on him. Don't expect me to apologize or some shit like that."

"Heh. Of course, I don't expect _you _to... but if you care about him at all, you need to let him know you don't think he's an animal."

After a show of rolling his eyes, Suigetsu jumped lithely to his feet. "Whatever. I'll try not to yell at him more than I have to."

Naruto grinned. "That's the spirit, eh?"

Suigetsu turned to walk in Juugo's path, but turned back suddenly with a smirk. "Oh, and before I forget... we both know there's more than one 'entire' reason you're here, Naruto. The Jinchuuriki might have been the original cause... but you can't fool me."

"Huh?"

Suigetsu jerked his head towards Sasuke with a leering grin, and ran into the trees cackling before Naruto could hit him.

_aaa_

For all their problems with each other, the members of Hawk always ate together. This had grated at Naruto on first – Sasuke had often taken his meals alone when he was a part of Team 7, subtly rejecting the notion of family that shared food involved, and it burned to watch him sit so comfortably among the members of his new team. Suitably pissed off about it several nights after his capture, Naruto had stalked from his isolated area next to the fire into the space between Juugo and Sasuke and sat down defiantly, eyes daring anyone to object as he reached for a bowl. Surprisingly, none of them had done so (though Sasuke looked like he had bitten into a lime), and the eating arrangement had stuck. And after a while, Naruto had come to realize what Sasuke must like about the group meals – despite the occasional spat between Suigetsu and Karin, the time was one of silent companionship. Oddly, it turned out that the four loners, who had never got along with anyone else in their lives, understood something fundamental about each other... something that Naruto, with his easygoing manner, was never going to comprehend.

Tonight was no exception. The only sound was the faint scrape of chopsticks against the cheap ceramic bowls, and while silence made Naruto as cagey as a trapped bird, he couldn't bring himself to break it when the rest of them were so obviously enjoying whatever reflection they got from eating with sociopaths similar to themselves.

He had a headache, though. It whirred faintly at the corner of his mind, growing ever stronger despite the water he drank to hydrate himself. It was hot, too – little patches of heat ran along his muscles, only adding to his discomfort as his head throbbed and small white stars exploded across his eyes.

Juugo nudged him softly, breaking the quiet. "Are you okay? You look a little pale-"

He gasped slightly, "I'm f-"

(_NARUTO? NARUTO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?)_

Naruto doubled over in pain, grasping at his head as the voice reverberated through his skull. His bowl tumbled out of his fingers, padding against the grass and spilling noodles everywhere.

(_I'M SORRY. I KNOW THIS HURTS, BUT YOU NEED TO TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE._)

Dimly, he heard shouts and the faint drone of chakra from beside him.

(_s-sakura?_) He gasped mentally, aware that the words were also spilling out his mouth.

(_STAY FOCUSED. TELL ME YOUR LOCATION._)

She was a hundred times louder than normal, setting his teeth buzzing and crowding out every coherent thought.

(_uh... sasuke... i'm with sasuke..._)

There was silence for a moment, and as his mind reeled from the intrusion Naruto could feel the harsh prodding of fingers at the back of his neck.

(_SASUKE? SASUKE'S THERE? NARUTO, WHAT- SHIT, I'M GETTING CUt off..._)

(_sakura?? what's happening?_)

(_trying... mission... find... alive... you... safe..._)

The connection abruptly ceased, leaving him extremely dizzy. Naruto pitched forward and was caught by a pair of strong arms.

Words were being quickly traded above him.

"That was a strong jutsu. Now that I know about it, though, it should be fairly easy to block. Who do you think it came from?" Karin murmured, removing her hands from his back.

"He mentioned Sakura... Konoha must be trying to track him." Sasuke's chest buzzed when he spoke, Naruto realized... just as his head cleared slightly and he found his forehead pressed against the Uchiha's collarbone.

"Who's Sakura?" Suigetsu interjected. "That's what he said, right?"

"Former teammate. They must have used her because she has such a strong connection with Naruto. This has got to be the work of the Yamanaka clan... damn it. We need to pick up the pace, or they're going to start getting serious."

Sasuke's chest was also warm, he noticed. Not surprising really, given the fire that he seemed able to unleash at any moment.

"We're like three days out from the Akatsuki. What can they possibly do at this point?" Suigetsu pointed out, sounding annoyed. "I wish you would stop giving Konoha so much credit. Is this really all they were able to do in a week and a half?"

"Don't underestimate the enemy." Sasuke said sharply, and the words broke Naruto out of his dewy observations. He placed his hands against Sasuke's chest and pushed hard, tearing away. The arms encircling him resisted for a moment, but then dropped away loosely, and the Uchiha stood back with a sneer. Naruto fell against the ground, head spinning and stomach threatening to mutiny. Figured that the Yamanakas would come up with a jutsu that felt like a raging hangover. It was probably payback for ruining their flower garden during a sparring match with Kiba last summer.

Karin knelt next to him and touched his forehead gently. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." He groaned, moving into a sitting position. Sasuke crouched across from him, eyes hard.

"What did Sakura say to you? Did you tell her anything about where you were?"

"None of your goddamn business." Naruto growled.

As soon as she saw Sasuke's disapproving glance, Karin snatched her hand away from Naruto's face. "It doesn't matter. The whole thing was too short for anything meaningful to have been said."

Sasuke tightened his jaw. "Was it Kakashi?" He pressed. "Is he still around?"

"Well, you'd know if you had asked about him." Naruto stood, staggering slightly. "I don't really feel like talking about our old team with you right now, Sasuke. Or anything to do with Konoha, actually. Gather information about your _enemies_ by yourself."

He stalked away from Sasuke's hard expression and collapsed next to the fire, enjoying the heat that blistered at his face and hands. It reminded him of the burning freeze of the jutsu, but try as he might, he couldn't replicate it, or even backtrace the chakra. Just another path that Sasuke had closed off to him.

Naruto allowed himself a small smile, though. He had missed Sakura, and hearing her voice even for a moment had been comforting... as was the reminder that there were still people out there who cared for and were looking for him. Not that... not that he really wanted them to be at this point, he realized. He hadn't even been looking for opportunities to escape... he had kind of taken the whole thing into stride, like it was just another step in bringing Sasuke home. There was even a small, terrified portion of him that was glad his friend had been cut off. If he were to be found now... Sasuke would probably escape, and he would have to go through the whole process of looking for him all over again.

Light footsteps crunched beside him, and the subject of his thoughts folded himself gracefully into the seat next to Naruto.

"What do you want?" He muttered.

There was a deep, quiet grinding noise, and Naruto fancied that it was the Uchiha's teeth.

"How are they?" Sasuke asked abruptly, turning his face away.

"Who?"

"Who do you think?" The raven snapped.

"Ah. God, Suigetsu's right. You really _do _have PMS." Naruto held up his hands and grinned at the ensuing growl. "Kidding, kidding."

"It's not a joke, and it's not for information either." Sasuke said in a low tone. "I want to know."

Naruto studied his face, sobering quickly. He actually seemed sincere, and Naruto didn't want to lose a chance to make him remember what he had left behind. Nudging the logs on the fire with his toe, Naruto spoke. "They miss you."

Sasuke didn't say anything.

"You would barely recognize Sakura, I think. She really grew up while we were gone. Became Tsunade's student, got super strength, learned how to be a medic. Something's changed in her – she seems more... herself, like she's finally realized who she is and is confident about it." Naruto smiled. "She's become someone who wouldn't annoy you anymore."

A disbelieving sound. Naruto's smile widened, and he poked Sasuke in the ribs. "I'm serious. It's a good thing you've got Karin to worship you now, cause I keep catching her checking out Sai. Not that she'll admit it, of course."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "And Kakashi?"

"Same as ever. The only real difference is that he sometimes shows up on time these days, since Sakura's threatened to beat the living daylights out of him. Which isn't really a joking matter anymore, cause she can _really _pack a punch now."

The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched up. "That's interesting. I wonder if my departure had anything to do with it."

The instant, reflexive response (_don't flatter yourself_) was nearly out of his mouth before Naruto saw the truth lurking behind the statement. "You know, it probably did. You kinda affected all of us. Shikamaru stepped up as a leader. Ino and Sakura were devastated for months. And Chouji, Neji and Kiba nearly died trying to bring you back. "

Sasuke's dark gaze fell on his face. "So did you."

Naruto shifted, neck prickling. "Yeah."

"And now you're doing it again." Still, those dark eyes remained locked on his.

"I... I guess you could put it that way." Flushing, Naruto turned his face to the fire. Neither of them spoke again until a red dawn broke over the camp and it was time to leave.

_aaa_

"Naruto, I need to talk to you."

Juugo had pulled him away from the others slightly as they ran, and spoke so lowly Naruto had to lean forward to hear.

"What's up?"

"Suigetsu told me some things, and while he's not one for great advice, usually, I think you should pay attention."

"About...?"

"You could have run, Naruto, when I transformed. Karin was down, your guards were gone... you could have made it. I don't know if Sasuke realizes that you stayed to help."

He didn't like where this was going. "So?"

Juugo frowned in annoyance. "The Akatsuki are not a joke, and we reach their base tomorrow."

"You think I don't know that?" Naruto said, voice sharp at his friend's patronizing tone.

"I'm not trying to talk down to you." Juugo said softly, checking to make sure the other three couldn't hear them. "But I think that you haven't considered the consequences of what will happen if you actually get delivered to them."

"I do know." For a second, he saw the haggard, cracked skin of Gaara's dead face. "Believe me."

Juugo was becoming urgent. "It's not just _your_ life you're risking at this point. You're the last one. The last Jinchuuriki they need. I don't know what they're doing with the Bijuu, but your power isn't going to be just filed away in a drawer. They're planning something very destructive."

Naruto set his mouth. "I...I won't let it come to that."

"Not to mention that as soon as the ritual with you is done, Sasuke is going to move on Konoha. If you don't escape and let them know, they won't have a warning."

"That won't happen. I'll change his mind." Naruto struggled to keep a confident tone. "And what do you care, anyways? You're on _his _side."

Juugo looked ashamed for a moment. "You asked me before if I could have all these deaths on my conscience. And I've decided that I can't. I've killed too many people already, and hurt people I love. You made me think about what I am, Naruto, and I want to change. I don't want Konoha to be destroyed, and I don't want you to die. Please... I have third watch tonight. I'll overload my chakra system to knock myself out, so it won't look suspicious." His tone became more determined.  
"You'll have a two hour window to escape. Please, take the opportunity. Warn your village, and then make sure we can't catch you again. You won't get this chance a second time."

"But..." Naruto looked over to Sasuke.

"When I was transformed and Karin tried to suppress my chakra, I got a sense of how that weird jutsu works. You must have noticed that she's developed it since we started out – it's even up when she's asleep now, although it's much weaker. I might be able to nullify it before I fall unconscious. It will give you a better chance. There are too many lives at risk for you to stay for him, Naruto. I'm sorry. This is too important."

His limbs felt thicker, heavier, like his own personal gravity had increased.

"Look." Juugo sighed. "You don't have to say it if you don't want to. But stay awake tonight. You can make your decision then."

He sped up to rejoin the others, leaving Naruto lagging behind to trace the engraving on his headband.

_aaa_

(_he was on a flat plain that stretched to nothing on all sides. _

_But then in his dream, and in his body too, naruto was positive – something broke, and it began to rain, hot red drops of what he first thought was blood but seemed to be globs of chakra, a fiery red one that scalded his skin. Wherever he was touched the skin began to peel, peel away until it was raw flesh and pulsing veins underneath while the red rose swiftly around his body, a flood that rushed down his open mouth and pinned his limbs to his sides-_)

Naruto woke to agony, what could only be the Kyuubi's chakra slowly spreading out like poisonous radiation from his stomach, inching unbearably through his arteries and capillaries, seeping into the hardened flesh of his muscles and through the cracks in his bones to the soft marrow within. The rest of his body refused to answer his commands, to get up, scream, _open his eyes _because he could even _see _the red spreading across them, like liquid from an overturned jug...

And then, abruptly, it was over and his muscles, tensed to the point of locking, suddenly relaxed into the mess of blankets against the grass.

(_**That**_**...**) The Kyuubi panted into his mind, (_**That imprisonment was too long to be healthy for either of us.**_)

(_it's never hurt like that before! what's the deal??_)

(_**I was entirely removed from your system and forced to a single point inside my cage. It takes time to reintegrate myself. My... apologies for the discomfort.**_) The fox chuckled, and Naruto heavily doubted the sincerity of the statement.

(_i wish you had stayed in there._)

(_**Don't be petulant, you can't do anything without me. Use your brain – I'm here. Thus the **__**suppression jutsu is temporarily down, with neither the loathsome Sharingan or that disturbing girl to keep it up. That means they're both asleep.**_)

Naruto stealthily opened his eyes, and had to grudgingly admit to himself that the Kyuubi was right – all the member of Hawk were sprawled around the fire, obviously sleeping. Karin, still heavily bandaged, was sitting with her back against a tree, head dropped to her chest. He felt a twinge of pity – she looked exhausted and unhappy in the light of the embers, brow furrowed as she snored faintly. Suigetsu slept much like Naruto did, with his limbs flung out in all directions and mouth wide open. Juugo had fallen sideways from his position near the fire, having obviously just carried out the beginning of his plan. Sasuke had his back to Naruto, and hadn't relaxed even in his slumber.

Deep down, Naruto knew this would be his last chance to escape.

(_**Go.**_)

With one last look at Sasuke, he did.

_aaa_

Whatever heaviness he had felt at Juugo's words was multiplied by ten as he ran swiftly and silently away from the camp. The soft rush of wind against his cheeks, the sweet night air condensed on his lips... even the warm buzz of his returned chakra did nothing to reduce the heavy knot weighing his stomach down. It took Naruto a minute to place the feeling – it wasn't worry, since he knew he had hours before they realized he was gone. Nor was it disappointment or loneliness or shame, all emotions he knew inside out.

It was _guilt_.

Which was ridiculous, of course. Even as he recognized the complete irrationality of it, Naruto felt its sickening prickle work its way up through his gut. His mind scrambled, dregs and flashes of the past two weeks being shoved across his consciousness.

(_the akatsuki are planning something very destructive..._

_...red clouds take warning..._

..._we both know there's more than one reason you're here._..

_...sasuke's in the darkness..._

_...he's better than this..._

_...be careful what you wish for..._

_...the people of konoha murdered my clan..._

_...like he'll disappear if you take your eyes off him..._

_...tell me, naruto, am i still a good person?..._

_...red clouds take warning..._

_**...bloodshed by morning. Are we done with the soliloquy yet? Let's move.**_)

Naruto stopped abruptly.

(_i can't do this. i can't leave him._)

(_**Yes, you can. That's what we're doing right now. Now go faster.**_)

Naruto turned and began to walk slowly back towards the camp, not bothering to reply. He stepped on each twig he found, cracking it with extra force. It was pleasant to not have to be quiet for once.

The Kyuubi sounded remarkably close to panic, if that was possible. (_**Naruto. If you persist in this idiocy, we will both die.**_)

(_maybe, maybe not. it's a risk i'll take._)

(**You **_**might be willing to do so, but not I. We're not going back.**_)

A low growl started at the back of his throat, and he shivered as he realized that he couldn't tell which one of them was making it. (_yeah? well, suck it. you don't have a say._)

(_**I think you'll find I do.**_)

The muscles in Naruto's lower leg spasmed, and he stumbled awkwardly against a tree. There was another twitch, and his other leg moved in the opposite direction of the camp without his consent.

(_how... how are you doing this?!?_)

(_**The line that divides our minds has always been fine, and the seal has never been weaker. My chakra is not completely at your command anymore, brat.**_)

There was no mistaking it – his body wasn't completely under control anymore. Slow and shaky as the unwieldy progress towards Konoha was, the control showed no sign of lapse.

(_NO!_)

Panic clawed at his ribcage. Naruto withdrew into himself and slammed against the walls of his mind, recoiling in horror as he saw the thin red tendrils that were snaking out from the Kyuubi's cage, entwining themselves around everything in their grasp. Rushing forward, he beat at them frantically with his fists, but they merely passed right through to hit the slimy stone of the passageway.

(_no – no – get the fuck out!_) He raged in frustration, dimly aware that outside, his legs were becoming steadier... more used to the invading presence.

The Kyuubi laughed at him mockingly, the chuckles bubbling out from the deep recesses of the cave. The tendrils surged forward faster, curling around and up his legs and torso. Naruto tore at them, but only ended up hitting himself. They began to constrict, and he was struck by a terrifying thought – he couldn't _die _in here, could he? It was his own mind – what would happen? Would he become nothing more than a vessel for the Kyuubi to play in? The irony of that was not lost on him, and he began to struggle with renewed vigor.

This goddamn chakra – it was _burning_ him, just like it had in the dream... and he had nothing to fight it with except his own hands...

Or perhaps not. As the coils began to rise around his chest, Naruto gathered a sharp spike of his own chakra around his fist and stabbed out with it, praying desperately.

There was a shriek of pain, and the alien control lessened slightly, the tendrils loosening around his figure. Naruto sliced at them with the clumsy chakra blade, the blue shining brightly against the slow, burning red. The Kyuubi howled, the sound tearing at Naruto's ears, as he began hacking at the chakra lines that were climbing the walls and creeping along the floors, each one dissipating into a foul smoke as he hit it.

As fast as they had come forth, the chakra suddenly began to retreat behind the bars of the cage where it was untouchable. Naruto snarled and followed them, attacking until he reached the seal itself, which was glowing with a sickly light and, he realized with a pang of shame, had been slightly peeled away.

(never _do that again._) He seethed to the glaring eyes of the Kyuubi. (_i'm going to find a way to fix this seal... and if i ever catch you in my body again, i'll..._)

(_**You'll what?**_) Sneered the fox, though its disappointment at its failure was tangible. (_**What horrible fate can you possibly sentence me to, boy? This is already a living hell, and what you're about to walk us into is even worse.**_)

Naruto growled at it. (_it's not your decision. and we both know that i can beat you back now. so don't try it again, or i'll make it painful next time._)

It snickered. (_**We know you can beat me back **_**now**_**. But what about in a month, when you'll have used my power again and weakened the seal even more? What about in a year? Two? It's nothing to me. I can wait... I'm very patient. You can't hold me off forever.**_)

A chill ran down his spine. (_there are ways. and if there aren't, i will do everything in my power to make sure you don't ever escape my body. even if it means both of us going down._)

They both knew what that entailed, and the fox closed its eyes. (_**We'll see about that. But I have obviously lost this particular battle. Go away.**_)

Naruto retreated from the wretched place within himself, and came back to himself lying on the forest floor, sprawled in an uncomfortable position with his mouth in the dirt. Spitting, he rose shakily to his knees and leaned against a tree for support, feeling utterly drained.

The Kyuubi and Sasuke. They were the only two things that he ever lied to himself about, and one of those falsehoods had just gone up in smoke. He had been sure that he was handling the Bijuu. Sure, there had been the odd lapse in control, a particularly realistic dream, perhaps an argument with the thing that had gotten out of hand. He knew that his eyes bled into red when he was furious, and the skin around his nails was shiny and cracked from all the times they had lengthened into claws. But still... they had been small sacrifices, both for the village and himself. Just unfortunate side effects to housing one of the most powerful demons in all history.

Except they obviously weren't just side effects.

He had to do something about this problem, and soon. He had never even imagined the Kyuubi would be able to get so far beyond its cage. Perhaps it was for the best that he was going to the Akatsuki anyways – who else would know the most about the fox?

Naruto kneeled that way for a long time, breathing in the clean air of the forest, occasionally flexing his hands to make sure they were still his.

Well, if he was going to go back, then there were a few things that needed to be put into order.

Naruto bit his thumb, the familiar pain helping to dispel the dizziness from his fight with the fox. Pressing it against the ground, he sent out a contained pulse of chakra and sat back on his heels, waiting as his companion was summoned from half the world away.

Gamakichi coughed for a minute, muttering, and then turned his misshapen pupils onto the blond.

"Naruto?" He rasped. "Thank the gods... you have no idea how many times I've been contacted by Tsunade in the last week. Where have you been?"

Naruto smiled at him. "It's good to see you. But I can't really explain right now. I have something for you to do."

The amphibian looked unimpressed. "Where exactly are we, anyways? Hasn't the search party caught up to you?"

"No. Gamakichi, this is very important. I need you to run to Konoha as fast as you can. Find Tsunade or Sakura, and tell them that there might be an attack on the village soon by either the Akatsuki or Sasuke. Tell them that I'm alive and fine, and that I'm trying to bring Sasuke back, but in case I don't make it for whatever reason, they need to be prepared."

Gamakichi's tongue flicked out in irritation. "You can't be serious, Naruto. I heard that this all had something to do with Sasuke... but you're risking more than yourself on the slim chance that you can bring around one of the most stubborn shinobi of all time."

"It's not just for him." Naruto said, struggling to keep his patience. Seriously, did everyone take him for some sort of starry-eyed moron? Surely he deserved a little more credit than that. "There's one more Jinchuuriki that they need to capture – the Eight Tails. They can't use me yet. I might be able to find a way to sabotage them. It's a unique chance, and I'm the only one that they'll let in. Who would suspect a helpless victim?"

"That's insanely risky. They're S-class criminals."

"Well, I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Seems like a fair fight." He grinned, but it felt hollow to both of them.

Gamakichi rolled his eyes. "I guess there's no changing your mind. Fine. Good luck, and stay alive. The village needs you." He looked over his shoulder. "And if Sakura punches me for bringing bad news, I'm never running messages for you again."

The frog disappeared with surprising grace into the trees, and Naruto nodded in satisfaction.

(_**You're making a huge mistake.**_)

(_i'm not done. listen to me._**)**

**(**_**No, **_**you** _**listen to **_**me. **_**I'm well aware that you care about me about as much as I care about you. We're stuck with each other. In fact, it's fair to say that I detest you. But at this point, I detest you slightly less than other humans, and I don't want to be a slave to those ambitious little slugs that are the Akatsuki. At least with you I only have to work occasionally. With them, it will be a non-stop drain on my essence. I'll die.**_)

(_i don't want you falling into their hands any more than you do._ _how about we make a deal?_)

(_**Go on.**_)

(_there is a slight chance that something will go wrong and i won't be able to change sasuke's mind in time to stop the ritual. i need to acknowledge that._)

He took a deep breath. (_if that happens, i will die. but you don't have to._)

(_**The only way you can stop me from becoming their property is releasing the seal, Naruto.**_)

(_i know. if, for some reason, i end up being used in the ritual, i'm willing to offer you a trade – gaara told me he was semi-conscious during it. if you agree to destroy the akatsuki and whatever they're using you for, and promise to leave sasuke, Konoha, and the Five Nations alone, i will remove the seal. you'll have your freedom._)

(_**That's a lot to ask, little hero. One might wonder if freedom is even worth it, if I have to ignore a quarter of the planet.**_)

(_it's in return for your entire life. if you refuse, you'll be a slave to the akatsuki if i fail... and if i succeed, i will still eventually die. you'll go with me, when that happens. this is your best chance for ever being free._)

For a time, all he could feel was furious thought and a steady hate from the animal he carried. (_**Very well, brat. I'll do what you ask.**_)

(_swear it._) Naruto pressed. There was a fiery burst of rage.

(_**I swear.**_) The fox muttered reluctantly, and the blond sighed in relief.

(_good. let's head back._)

(_**So much of this could go wrong, you know.**_)It reasonably pointed out.(_**You might be unconscious and unable to remove the seal. They might find a way to restrain me. They could have changed the ritual. Juugo might very well kill you to avoid them using my power.**_)

(_stop worrying. we'll cross those bridges if we come to them._)

The Kyuubi hissed as Naruto walked back towards an uncertain fate.

_aaa_

Naruto had nearly reached his bedroll when he heard the faint whimper. Freezing _(oh shit oh _shit _someone heard me_), he glanced over to his right, where Sasuke had flung his blanket off in his sleep. The raven was hunched on his side, eyes closed while his hands curled and uncurled – like an infant, Naruto's mind supplied unhelpfully – perhaps trying to ward off an attacking apparition. His lips opened and closed soundlessly and his brows were furrowed. Naruto crept closer, ignoring the warning bells that clanged at his temples. Some deep recess of his mind dredged up every nightmare he had ever experienced, and remembering the horrible emptiness of waking up from a bad dream to the lonely night, he knelt at Sasuke's side, unsure what to do. No one had ever comforted him from a nightmare before, so he had little idea what was necessary – and Sasuke certainly wouldn't react favorably to Naruto witnessing one of his weaker moments.

The moonlight refracted through a trail of silvery liquid on Sasuke's face. The blond stared at it for a second. It was the weirdest sensation, to have your heart break and soar at the same time. Break, because one tear from any Uchiha, even in his sleep, was equivalent to a thousand from anybody else. He had never, in all their years of watching, loving, and hating each other, even seen Sasuke well up. Stoic and distant, the raven had never even seemed capable of crying.

And yet, he was flying over the stars, because that one tear meant that Sasuke was still human. Still feeling. Still redeemable.

Naruto smiled sadly, wincing as an unhappy spasm creased his friend's eyes. He crested every memory of ever being alone, the massive swell of remembered isolation and its associated misery prompting him to slowly, slowly extend a trembling hand to brush away the black bangs that were plastered to Sasuke's forehead with night-sweat. The world was deafening in his ears as once again he quietly marveled the softness of his hair.

Then Sasuke's eyes snapped open and his curled hand delivered a precise jab to Naruto's throat before the blond could even react. As his hands rose automatically to defend himself, Sasuke's foot whipped up and caught his chin, sending him reeling back to narrowly miss the fire. The formerly harmless-seeming body then blurred with inhuman speed to his sprawled position on the ground, holding a short dagger to his neck. His windpipe crushed, Naruto could only gasp and stare the cold steel down, while Sasuke's expression slowly relaxed from one of intense anger to mere irritation.

"Oh. It's just you." He drawled, drawing back into a crouch before him but keeping the knife an inch from the blond's jugular.

"You-" Naruto wheezed between short, painful breaths, "_wanker_. What the hell was that?"

"Self-defense." Sasuke answered curtly, before a mocking gleam entered his eye. "Trying to kill me in my sleep, then, Naruto? Surely that contradicts you way of the shinobi."

Naruto scowled and smacked his hand away irritably. "You were having a nightmare! I was just..." He floundered for a second. "I didn't want you to feel alone."

Sasuke retracted the dagger, face stiff even under the softening glow of the embers. "That's stupid. I don't dream."

Naruto snorted. "Yeah, and Tsunade doesn't drink. Pull the other one."

Before Sasuke could reply, he reached out and wiped away the solitary tear that had trailed down the Uchiha's cheek with his thumb, once again noting that his skin seemed frail enough to disintegrate if handled too roughly. Sasuke's eyes widened and he exhaled sharply, but just like at the river, he did not pull away. There was nothing better than human contact, Naruto decided, to reassure one after a nightmare.

(_i wish i could have had this, after mine._

_so stupid that we knew each other for all those years and never once realised how much we could have helped each other_.)

Naruto found himself drawing a small circle on Sasuke's jaw with the pad of his thumb, instincts screaming at him to stop before he found himself fingerless. The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched down, and one of his own hands raised to clasp Naruto's wrist gently. It might have been his initial intent to push it away, but the movement ended up capturing it against his face and holding his palm there. Naruto felt like the nerve endings in his arm had suddenly multiplied by about ten million. The movement was strangely intimate, and neither of them were really sure what it meant.

Then there was a loud crack as a log in the fire popped, and Sasuke tore his face away with a scowl.

"Why is Juugo sleeping? Did you knock him out?" He demanded, eyes scanning the campsite.

"Uh, no..." Naruto replied, stomach squirming as he realized Juugo was going to take some serious shit for him later. "He was like that when I woke up."

Sasuke frowned. "He's been acting strange lately. Maybe he's sick." He muttered to himself, fist curling slightly. Then his eyes snapped back to Naruto, narrowing suspiciously.

"You could have escaped. You might have even had a decent chance at getting away. Why are you still here?"

Admitting any part of the truth was out of the question. Earning more disgusted looks from Sasuke was not at the top of his to-do list. "Er... it didn't really cross my mind to leave. Stupid of me. Heh." He rubbed the back of his head.

The Uchiha looked at him for a long moment. Naruto fidgeted in the puddle of moonlight.

Eventually, Sasuke snorted derisively. "You're a horrible liar." He turned away to poke at the embers in the fire. "And an idiot to boot. You should have run when you had the opportunity."

(_**I couldn't have put it better myself.**_)

A shower of sparks from the glowing wood illuminated Naruto's face as he forced himself to grin cheerfully. "Well, I didn't. And I'm not going to leave... not unless you're coming with me."

Defiantly, he lay back on the ground next to Sasuke, lacing his fingers behind his head and closing his eyes.

There was a hint of frustration in Sasuke's voice. "You should hate me. I told you earlier. I've betrayed you personally and everything you stand for, and the worst part is that I don't even care."

Naruto shrugged, eyes closed. "I don't believe you."

He could hear the rustle of grass as Sasuke turned to stare down at him. "What?"

"You must care, or you wouldn't even be bothering to have this conversation with me. You want me to think badly of you, so that you won't feel as guilty when you turn me over to the Akatsuki."

Naruto smiled simply, opening his eyes to take in the wide canvas of the sky. "But it's kind of pointless, you know. Sure, I'm super pissed that you believe whoever is feeding you those lies about Konoha. You're a grouchy, stoic bastard who won't ever admit you're wrong, you have the emotional range of a goldfish, and your issues would keep a team of psychiatrists employed for years. But I will never, never hate you."

(_in fact i do far more than just not hate you._

_i would love you, if you let me_)

The thought flashed across his mind so fast he could barely suppress it, and Naruto felt his cheeks burst into full flame. He didn't dare turn his eyes to see Sasuke's face, and a lengthy silence fell. A few inches away he could feel the Uchiha's body, stiff and unmoving against the night air.

"Tch." Something white flashed in the corner of his vision as Sasuke lay back next to him, a few inches between their shoulders. "You think you know everything. Loser."

But there was no force behind the words, and a giddy sensation pressed upwards from his stomach as Naruto recognized the old insult, delivered with typical Uchiha disdain.

"Bastard." He nearly laughed, elbowing Sasuke in the ribs.

"Hmph. Dead last." The raven said with a tone of finality that settled the matter, and Naruto was propelled to such a good mood that he charitably decided to let him have the last word. Nothing more was said between the two of them, but Sasuke didn't push him away and Naruto never did move back to his original spot.

An hour or more passed, with only the low scurrying of animals and the faint songs of the stars for company. Sasuke spoke softly, with his eyes closed. The side of his mouth was twitching between curving up and down, like he couldn't make up his mind.

"Naruto."

"Yeah?"

"We reach the Akatsuki tomorrow."

"...I know."

Silence, for so long that Naruto thought his companion had drifted off. Then, very quietly:

"When I fall asleep, there won't be anyone to guard you."

"Huh?"

A vague sigh. "If you run, right now..." _I'll let you go._

Naruto turned his head and smiled at the side of Sasuke's face. "I guess you do care a bit, huh?"

Sasuke grunted, eyes closed.

"Would you come with me?"

Silence. Then a flat: "No."

(_so you won't give up revenge for me_)

He could feel his face fall. "It's okay, then... I've made my choice."

A faint sigh rustled through the grass, but Sasuke didn't press the issue.

"Naruto." Came a faint whisper, so faint that Naruto thought it was the rapid draw of his dreams. He didn't answer, teetering on the verge of sleep, as the raven muttered something.

"This isn't what I wanted, when it all began."

* * *

**And that's the end of this arc. Next time, we visit the Akatsuki. Can't wait to write it!**

**Hope everything's going well for everyone! For those of you who have them, may your midterm break be fantastic. As always, reviews are appreciated.**

**Oh, and since the next chapter probably won't be ready by next week... Happy Valentines! xx**


	7. Interlude II: Arrival

**Title**: Daybreak**  
Chapter Title**: Arrival  
**Summary**: _Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning_. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks. **  
Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within, to my regret. Many thanks to the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto.

**Author's Note**: Chapter 485 inspired me to finish this off faster than usual. The subtext practically writes itself... and I really liked the echoes of the Valley of the End in it. And seriously, go Karin! It was nice to see her grow a bit of a backbone. And Sakura's recent level in badass has allowed me to forgive her for that confession to Naruto. Also, watching pretty much every major ship get sunk within a space of 50 chapters is pretty epic.

Okay, so I'm not sure about the perspective on this one. I feel more comfortable writing Naruto. But oh well - variety is the spice of life, I guess. I've always liked Suigetsu - he's a lot like Naruto in that he just doesn't take crap from anybody, and he's got a goal that he's bent on reaching. He's basically the selfish, sarcastic version of the protagonist.

Also... the words 'jumped' and 'bandwagon' come to mind as I write this, but... I caved in to peer pressure and made a formspring account, if anyone wants to ask questions about the story/me/life in general. Check it out at (minus the spaces): http : // www. formspring. me/Orcristsmate :)

Lastly... thanks so much for all the support, everyone! I wish I could reply to you, Strangeblossom - you're always so thoughtful (and Spotlight Day sounds hilarious). Much love to **Mistress Sundrop, Kyoko kitty-chan, droptheice, The Deuteragonist, Calamas,** **xXMikomiUchihaXx **and **Darkmoon Fleur**.

* * *

**Daybreak**

**Chapter 7: Arrival**

Suigetsu, despite all his appearances, was perhaps the most astute member of Team Hawk. It wasn't something he really thought about, but that didn't make it any less true. Sasuke may have had the Sharingan, Juugo might be the quietest and most likely to pick up on something, and Karin had her chunky glasses that magnified everything by about a billion, but when you really came down to it, Suigetsu was the only one out of them who really understood _people_.

That was why, when they reached the outside of the Akatsuki base, he was the only person to fully see the hesitation that each member experienced. It was a beautiful panoramic view – the cliff that housed the huge fortress overlooked a brilliantly blue lake that almost glowed when the light hit it. He ignored the beauty, though, instead focusing on the nervous tension that filled his comrades.

Juugo, who had said virtually nothing since that morning, looked gray and angry, glaring at the doors like they had personally offended him. Fair enough, Suigetsu mused – the man had always disliked the Akatsuki, and his recent friendship with Naruto probably wasn't sweetening the deal for him. In a lot of ways, Juugo was just like a Jinchuuriki, and it must be disturbing to see the way they were treated here.

Karin also seemed reluctant to move under the shadow of the cliff. She was the one Suigetsu was best at reading - not because she guarded her emotions any less carefully, but because he had spent a lot more time finding out exactly what wound her up. He was at a loss for what her problem was today, though. Her eyes triangulated between Naruto, Sasuke and the doorway, usual red color a paler, washed-out pink today. They were captivating, if somewhat sad.

"What are we waiting for?" She demanded eventually.

"Nothing." Sasuke muttered, and stepped forward. Juugo bent slightly, and murmured into his ear. The words were obviously meant only for him, but the brisk breeze carried them over to Suigetsu.

"You don't have to go through with this, if you don't want to."

There was a moment of shared hesitation as Sasuke raised his hand to trigger the chakra point that would notify the Akatsuki of their arrival, and Suigetsu's razor eyes did not miss the look that he and Naruto shared. The blond looked earnest and vaguely expectant, as if he somehow hoped that the Uchiha would call the whole thing off. And for a second, Suigetsu almost thought he would. Sasuke's arm dropped for a moment as he gazed at Naruto, whose hands had been loosely bound behind his back. Both of them looked absolutely terrible – Naruto was beaten and bruised all over, heavily favoring one leg and holding his left arm at a crooked angle. Sasuke looked tired and drawn. The bags under his eyes were deep and almost black, and the indecision in the quirk of his mouth did not suit his sharp face. This mission was not working out for either of them, and in a rare moment of poetic license Suigetsu thought that they looked almost beautifully tragic in the bright sunlight, staring at each other hopelessly, like neither of them could remember what had possibly brought them to this point.

But then it was over – a wisp of cloud passed over the sun, leaving Sasuke's face to fall into darkness. He tightened his lips and pressed his palm against the harsh rock door, sending out a wave of chakra. Naruto looked away from him, over the lake, and said nothing.

There was a weighty groan as the door swung inwards, revealing a polished stone passageway that extended into the horizon, lit by a series of windows and skylights that were cut high into the cliff-face, letting the pale sunlight filter through the gloom. Set into the walls were glass orbs that filled with red chakra flame at night, softly rounding off the shadows. They'd only been here once before, but it had been fairly awe-inspiring – as their main base, the Akatsuki had gone all out to build a kingly fortress. As well as being completely isolated, it was naturally fortified by the rock foundations of the cliff. Tunnels and rooms had been cleanly carved into symmetrical wings that met together in a gigantic sealing room that contained the real statue that the Bijuu were contained in. There was even a basement section that extended out under the lake in case an evacuation was necessary, and a large plateau on the cliff side overlooking the water that served as a training ground.

Suigetsu hated it. The enclosed spaces reminded him of Orochimaru's hideouts – rows upon rows of identical rooms that they were forbidden to enter, and halls that echoed and magnified every sound. Each member of the Akatsuki were assigned their own room when they joined, and although they were rarely at the headquarters, it still contained most of their worldly possessions. He had once burst into Sasori's old workshop by mistake and fell into a pile of misshapen puppets that felt eerily similar to real people, right down the the fine hair on their skin. After that, he hadn't explored at all.

"Home sweet home." Karin muttered beside him, and strode in.

"Ladies first." Suigetsu smirked to Sasuke, stepping back, and grinned as the Uchiha glared at him. The raven's eyes swept the hall for a second before he sighed and walked in, closely followed by Juugo. Suigetsu brought up the rear, suppressing a chill as the door closed after them with a resounding crash. There was a faint rustle behind him, but when he turned there was nothing there.

(_something's wrong_)

"Oh, and Suigetsu... gag him." Sasuke called over his shoulder. Rolling his eyes, Suigetu shuffled through his pack and eventually came up with some bandaging linen. Naruto glared at him as he held it up. He made a face.

"Hey, it's not my decision."

"Well, that makes me feel a lot better-" Naruto started sarcastically. "Mmph!"

Suigetsu tied the gag off with a flourish and flashed him an apologetic grin. Still, the feeling of something being out of place niggled at him.

"Ne... Sasuke, where is everyone?" He asked, glancing up and down the long passageway. Although the ends were swallowed by the gloom, it was easy to tell that there were nobody waiting for them. Karin looked around also before placing a finger to her lips.

"I don't feel a lot of chakra." She said after a moment. Sasuke's brow tightened.

"Do you feel Madara?" He pressed.

When she pulled her hand away from her lips, it left an indent for a second. Suigetsu found it hard to look away.

"He's not here." She frowned. "But there's someone in the main room. And a salty chakra a couple floors above us."

He felt a small surge of glee to counterbalance his discomfort at the setting. He rarely got the chance to spar with Kisame and the legendary Samehada, and would certainly not give up the opportunity this time.

Sasuke looked somewhat less happy. "Main hall. Now." He glowered, and quickened the pace in that direction, footsteps echoing precisely along the walls.

When they reached it, Suigetsu saw Naruto grow pale at the sight of the monstrous statue that dominated the room. He sympathized easily – the structure really was horrendous, with those creepy eyes that had half-way opened and its ten fingers poking out of the ground like austere pillars to the heavens.

"Where are they?" Karin whispered. The room was conspicuously empty, save for a lone figure seated between the hands of the statue.

"You're late." A female voice said disapprovingly, echoing around the room, and Sasuke scowled as Konan unfurled herself from a tatami mat on the ground and walked forward to meet them, Akatsuki cloak unfortunately concealing what Suigetsu had always guessed was a magnificent set of curves. He quickly saw, however, her eyes flick to the way Naruto stood boldly beside Sasuke, and quickly moved behind the blond, kicking the back of his knees to force him to the ground.

"You're a prisoner, remember? On your knees." He hissed into his ear. "Or she'll think something's up. You don't want that."

"And you've got some explaining to do." Sasuke was growling somewhere up above them. "Madara was supposed to be here. Where is he?"

Naruto made a protesting noise, and Juugo laid a hand on his shoulder. Konan looked at them again shrewdly, and Suigetsu could just see the little calculations going on in her mind. He wanted to scream. They just didn't _get _it – she was going to notice, and then they'd be fucked. He kicked Juugo discreetly, making a slicing motion across his throat.

(_stupid stupid stupid_)

Fortunately, the man nodded and stepped away. Konan turned back to Sasuke and shrugged delicately. "He left to capture the Hachibi four days ago, and said he would return shortly."

Sasuke's voice grew even more clipped. Suigetsu winced – he definitely wasn't happy. And an unhappy Sasuke usually meant an unhappy day for everyone within a ten kilometer radius. "He said he would be waiting for me. We were to leave for Konoha as soon as I delivered the Kyuubi."

Naruto's face tightened, and a muffled noise came out against his gag.

"There's been a change of plans." Konan sounded bored. "Pein wants to seal the Hachibi and Kyuubi at the same time. We'll need you four for that. Then the weapon will be complete – barring, of course, the time it will take to charge and be usable – and you'll have our help against Konoha."

"That was _not _part of the deal. We've already done more than was agreed. This is the second Jinchuuriki we've captured for you, and I don't want my team wasting their chakra on something you're perfectly capable of doing on your own."

Konan's soft voice remained level, but there was a vague shadow that crept in around its edges. "I suppose I must remind you about your previous failure in capturing the Hachibi. We had to change our own tight schedule to make up for your blundering failure, Uchiha, and expect you to compensate for that."

Sasuke clenched his jaw. "We'll see what Madara thinks of this."

Her lips quirked in an understated way. Suigetsu reflected that although her face was very pretty, the lack of expression made it fairly creepifying. He wondered what had happened to her as a child to make her repress her emotions like that. It couldn't be healthy.

"Madara was the one who suggested this arrangement, Sasuke. You're just going to have to put up with it."

"What a bitch." Karin muttered under her breath.

Ignoring Sasuke's seething face, Konan walked over to Naruto and leaned down gracefully to examine him. He glared at her with narrowed eyes, the blue glinting angrily.

"One from your own village, I see."

"Yes." Sasuke said shortly.

Konan reached out and brushed Naruto's hair off his forehead, fingers running over the scar from his first encounter with Team Hawk. Suigetsu felt Sasuke tense beside him as she cupped his face carefully. Naruto coldly moved his face away from her grip, and her fingers tightened cruelly in his hair.

"It's in fairly good condition, too. That's good – we can't have it dying before the ritual. We're going to have to lock it up until the Hachibi arrives." She straightened, eyes slated. "Of course, it's your charge, so it will be kept under _your_ care. Your team can have the west wing. I trust you'll be able to keep it under control for a few days."

"I'm not a babysitter." Sasuke said, having barely regained some of his composure. "_You _take care of him."

She faced him expressionlessly. "Your temper tantrums may work on work on Madara, but not me. Look after it or the entire deal is off."

"You don't have the power to do that." Karin sneered at her. "You're basically Pein's henchman."

"And happy to be so." She smiled at the mention of Pein, but it was oddly vacant. "I'm also the senior ranking member here." She pointed out, and sat back down on her mat, resuming a meditative pose. "Pein is in our village but will come here physically when it's time for the ritual. Kisame is recovering from his last mission here, but he's ranked below me. Zetsu is with Madara. And _you_, Sasuke, are at the bottom of our little food chain. So take the Jinchuuriki, make sure it's fed and relatively healthy, and plan your petty vendetta some more until Madara comes back."

She closed her eyes, obviously done with the conversation. Suigetsu grinned, impressed with her audacity. "You just got completely owned, Sasuke."

The Uchiha all but snarled at him, and Juugo cuffed the back of his head. "Be quiet."

Naruto laughed through the gag, and awkwardly twisted his tied hands to give Suigetsu a thumbs-up. He winked in return, clapping his hands together.

"Well, this has been a real pleasure as always, Konan. Now that this lovely reunion is finished, let's go settle in. It looks like we may be here for a while."

Sasuke stared hard at the serene figure on the mat before him for a second, then turned on his heel and strode out of the room, leaving the rest of Team Hawk to fall into line behind him. Juugo slung Naruto onto his back and staggered slightly, politely shutting the door after him.

Up ahead, Karin was raging on Sasuke's behalf. "She's just such a _bitch_! They can't rearrange the terms of a deal whenever they feel like it! Sasuke, we can take out Konoha without them... let's just say 'fuck you' and leave!"

Suigetsu felt a twinge as she took Sasuke's arm earnestly. "God, Karin, could you be a bit louder? I'm not sure the people all the way in Wind Country heard you clearly enough."

"Shut up, Su." She fired back. "Some of us actually care about this mission."

Sasuke tugged his arm away and waved a dismissive hand at both of them. "If you have to argue, don't do it where I can hear you. I'd like to say that Konoha can't wait, but we're not in great shape at the moment."

He looked pensively at them, biting his lip slightly, until his eyes rested on Naruto.

"We'll stay." He announced abruptly. "I'd like to do this with Madara. He has his own need for revenge to satisfy. And all of you need to rest up."

Karin scowled. "So we're basically telling these freaks that they can jerk us around as much as they like, and we'll just take it."

Suigetsu nodded, making a face. "I hate to agree with her, but I think she's right, Sasuke. It's sending a pretty bad message."

"Well, we did screw up with the Hachibi." Juugo said, still looking unhappy. "We're not exactly in their good books. I think they have the right to ask us to cover for that mistake."

"Big deal!" Karin said peevishly. "How many times did Itachi and Kisame fuck up trying to get their hands on the Kyuubi?"

There was a silence, and Suigetsu sneaked a look sideways to see Sasuke's face darken. Karin's hands spasmed slightly as she realized what she had said.

"My brother had his own reasons for not wanting to capture Naruto." He said, eyes slitted. "Don't argue against my decision, Karin. We're staying. Get used to it."

"O-of course." She replied meekly, looking away, and Suigetsu felt the sudden urge to rip the Uchiha's face off.

"No need to be such a dick, Sasuke. We're on your side, remember?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw Juugo turn his face to the wall, and Naruto awkwardly pat his shoulder. Sasuke looked unimpressed.

"Then I don't think some obedience is a lot to ask, Suigetsu."

"You can only obey someone if you respect them." Suigetsu snapped back, earning himself a glare from Karin.

"If you don't like the arrangement, Suigetsu, you can leave." Sasuke smirked, eyes mocking him. Suigetsu grit his teeth. Sasuke knew very well that he wouldn't leave – _couldn't _leave. Not her. He was as trapped as Juugo, although it was a cage of his own mind. The sheer force of her gravity along with the other ties he had made in Team Hawk forced him to stay.

"That's not what I was suggesting." He ground out, and watched victory spark in Sasuke's eyes.

"Are you sure? I can't have someone in my team who doesn't respect me as a leader."

The subtle threat - (_i can take her away from you..._) - just between the two of them, was there.

Suigetsu watched Karin smile at that, and felt his face burn. He knew what Sasuke was doing, and why – trying to regain some control after the events of the past few weeks had spun everything into chaos. Given the seeming breakdown in command that Naruto was causing, it was necessary.

Suigetsu still hated him for it. "No, I... I respect you, Sasuke."

For a second, he thought he saw Orochimaru's smugness in the Uchiha's face. His blood boiled and seethed underneath his skin.

(_fuck. you._)

Sasuke nodded. "Good to hear it." He nodded to the others. "I need to talk to Kisame. Go settle into your rooms. And _don't_ start any fights."

He swept into a side corridor, leaving Suigetsu alone with his humiliation.

_aaa_

"Who was _she_?" Naruto demanded as soon as Karin removed his gag while they navigated the maze-like corridors to their rooms. "Thanks, Karin. And who's Pein? And Madara? Where's the rest of the Akatsuki?"

"The short version is that Pein is the official leader of the Akatsuki, and Konan is like his right hand. She calls herself God's Angel." Suigetsu snorted. "It's quite sickening."

Naruto did not smile. There was a crinkling noise, and Suigetsu resolved to clean out his backpack. Something was obviously loose. "What about Madara? Who's he? Why is Sasuke waiting for him?"

Suigetsu shrugged. "Madara is the unofficial leader of the Akatsuki... Pein's puppet master, and Sasuke's great uncle or something. One of the founders of Konoha, or some shit like that. Don't look forward to meeting him."

Naruto's face twisted in confusion. "Another Uchiha...? And a founder? Shouldn't he be dead by now?"

"Yes." Karin chipped in, shuddering. "His chakra is incredibly powerful, but rotten right beneath the surface... the bare minimum of what it was once. And he's... less than pleasant. You'll see when he comes back." She brightened. "But Sasuke trusts him."

"Sasuke does not have a stellar history with trusting people." Suigetsu grouched at her. "Look at Itachi and Orochimaru, and tell me how that worked out."

She looked ready to snap something back, but Juugo spoke without looking at them. "He just makes mistakes sometimes, like an ordinary person. But if you have to talk about him behind his back, please do it somewhere else."

(_figures _you'd _be on his side... goddamn pushover_)

Looking suitably chastened, Karin fell silent, but Suigetsu folded his arms. "I'd talk about him to his face if he was here, you know."

Karin laughed. "Hypocrite. You didn't earlier."

His shoulders grew tense with embarrassment. "At least I don't suck up to him in the hope of attention."

"Hey..." Naruto interrupted, sounding tired. "We're all friends, remember? Fighting in the middle of enemy territory isn't the greatest idea."

"Ha! Suigetsu?" Snorted Karin. "You know what he did to his 'friends' in the village, right? Trust me, you don't want to see him that way. He doesn't care about anyone or anything, apart from that stupid sword."

Suigetsu scowled at her over his shoulder. "And you're a bright ray of sunshine too."

Juugo sighed as they came to a branch in the hallway, both of the protruding halls ending in dead ends. There were three rooms in each corridor. "I don't think I can take any more of you two arguing. Naruto and I will take the two down there." He nodded down the right wing. He turned down into it without another word, the blond waving goodbye to them meekly.

Karin looked down the left hall. "I call middle room!"

Each room was about twenty feet down from the next. "What, so you can be next to Sasuke no matter which one he picks?"

His mood soured even further as she blushed furiously. "Don't be an idiot!"

"Right." He didn't press the issue – why bother? Instead, as they walked down the hall, he broached a new, if just as antagonistic, topic. "So, you don't see me as a friend?"

She laughed lightly. "Of course I do. We're on the same team, Su. We have to be friends by default, you know?"

"But..." His eyes traveled around the hallway, not sure where to look. God, when had he become this awkward? "Not by choice."

Karin shrugged, obviously not taking the conversation very seriously. "I thought the feeling was mutual."

(_you thought wrong_)

"I guess. So, if Sasuke was out of the picture you still wouldn't go out with me, then?" He grinned at her, raising his eyebrow in a sarcastic gesture even as he searched her face carefully.

Relieved they were apparently back in the realm of playfully hating each other, Karin laughed. "Ha! Not if you were the last man alive."

"Right. Glad that's settled." He picked the door closest to the main hallway and plunged in, trying to keep his breathing under control. Of course she would say that. Whatever he might hypothesize, Sasuke _wasn't _out of the picture, and that wasn't going to change.

_aaa_

"Suigetsu, I need to ask you something." Naruto sounded very serious as he appeared in his doorway.

(_oh boy_)

"_Now?_"

"Now."

He continued to unpack his bag, back turned to the other man. "Well, spit it out, then."

"Is it true that you killed your year group when you were younger?"

(_fuck this today is just not my day_)

Suigetsu let out a bark of laughter. "I'll say this for you, Naruto. You really don't beat around the bush. Bluntness is an attribute, in my opinion."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Whoever told you can go fuck themselves... yeah, it's true." And it was ridiculous, but he really didn't want to turn around to see Naruto's face. There would be a judgment there – and coming from an honest person _(and naruto... there's something about him that makes me want him to smile instead of frown_)_,_ it wasn't really a judgment he wanted to see.

"I see." The blond said stiffly. Suigetsu began to pile his dirty clothes into a small hamper, feeling those blue eyes on his back. His cheeks began to burn.

"Why did you do it?"

Suigetsu slammed the hamper onto the table and roughly began shaking out his sheets. "What can I possibly say that will make you go away, Naruto?"

"I want to know if you feel bad about it." He sounded genuinely curious, and also... slightly pleading. Suigetsu glanced over at him. Naruto looked troubled, deep lines in his brow as he picked at a loose string in his shirt. Only one thing made him look that thoughtful.

"You mean, you want to know if I want to be redeemed for it, and if the same concept applies to Sasuke." Suigetsu said grouchily, feeling smug when Naruto looked up guiltily, saying nothing. He felt a sudden urge to wipe that hopeful gleam in his eyes right off them. It was just sickening how he believed everyone could be saved... that everything would eventually be okay. And how he thought that everything revolved around _Sasuke_, fucking Sasuke Uchiha with his perfect looks and his insane power and his way of turning everyone around him into some sort of quivering, orgasmic putty that he manipulated without a second thought to their feelings.

(_hah! not if you were the last man alive..._

_... i can't have someone in my group that doesn't respect me..._)

Well, fuck that. If Naruto wanted reassurance about Sasuke, he should have gone to Karin.

"Well, I hate to burst your bubble..." Even to his own ears, the words sounded mechanical. "But I think that you're in for a serious disappointment. I did it because it was _fun_, Naruto. And I was strong enough to do it."

He felt a horrible, vindictive smugness as he watched Naruto's expression crumble. "Do you know what it feels like, to win out over the people that you were friends with, who you competed against and laughed with, every day? The _rush_ that you get when you defeat the person closest to you, and finally know that it was _you _who was stronger, _you _who gets to carve their name into history and have the world bend at _your_ feet. It's better than anything... sex, drugs, friendship. And it's what Sasuke had. He doesn't _want _anything else now, Naruto. Revenge with a dose of power is his rush, and he's going to go to the end of the world to keep it going."

He turned away from the muted devastation of Naruto's face, pretending to dig in his bag for something that he didn't need.

"Was that all? Or did you want to get into the deep, traumatizing moments of my life as well? What about my greatest desires? My love life? Or perhaps Sasuke's? I'm sure that would interest you more." He said, hating himself more with every word but unable to stop.

(_sasuke..._) The Karin in his mind murmured huskily, gazing at her idol with adoration. His hands twisted into the fabric of his bag, ripping it.

"I never asked you about Sasuke." Naruto said quietly.

"But that's what you really wanted to know." Suigetsu wanted to scream at him to _get out_, get out and leave him to this consuming jealousy that crawled up his stomach walls and burst into his chest like sludging flood of hatred.

"No." The Uzumaki said firmly. "I wanted to know what you, Suigetsu, _my friend_ Suigetsu, felt about something that's obviously defined you. What I wanted to really know, Su, was if what Karin said earlier was true, and if you were the person that I thought you were." He sounded disappointed. "But I guess that you have Sasuke on the brain. Never mind."

Suigetsu stilled for a second, then turned around, but Naruto had already gone. Frustrated, he kicked the wall and sank onto his bed.

He had never told anyone why he had done what he did. They had drawn their own conclusions and had not seen the need to ask – so he didn't tell them. In the same way that Karin refused to talk about Orochimaru and Juugo drew into himself if Kimimaro was mentioned, his own act was simply not talked about in the group.

He had kept the memories, though. There was a small bamboo box at the bottom of his bag, and in it was something from every one of his classmates that he had killed. There were hair ribbons, necklaces, headbands, training kunai, watches, a shell that he had found in the pocket of his crush, and a worn-out glove. He didn't even know why he carried the trinkets around with him – he never opened the box at all, and often went months without even touching it.

Today, though, he reached in and pulled out the compartment, turning it over and over in his hands. The jingling sounds that this produced clanged dissonantly inside him. What a stupid waste it had all been... and what a stupid price he had paid for it.

Suigetsu shoved the box away and crawled under his covers, unsuccessfully trying to block out the memories. Consequently, sleep took hours to come... as usual.

_aaa_

"Wake up already!" Cold air assaulted his body as Karin ripped his blanket off him. He curled into a tiny ball, eyes squinting at the light flooding in from the hallway.

"Bitch! Go away!"

She grabbed his pillow in retaliation, lightly thwacking him with it. "You've slept for fourteen hours. Naruto wants to look around, so let's go."

"Good for him. Exactly where in my job description does it say that _I _have to come?" He grumbled, blindly feeling around for his pack.

"I have to go with him, and if I have to suffer, so you do." She said brightly, throwing a shirt in his direction. It caught him in the face.

"Delegation of abject misery is Sasuke's job." Suigetsu pulled the shirt on and swung his legs out of bed.

"He's with Juugo and Konan. We're on babysitting duty."

"Suigetsu, you're so _slow._" Naruto complained from the doorway, like nothing had transpired between them. "I want to explore. Come on!"

He grimaced and followed them into the rest of the base, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Naruto was like a small child, darting from room to room, abandoning some in boredom and occasionally crowing with delight or disgust over a new discovery.

"Hey, check it out!" His voice floated to them from down the hall. "A garden!"

They followed him out onto the plateau, blinking at the fresh air and sunlight.

"This is one of the training areas. Best place in the whole building" Karin said, walking towards the lip of the ledge. No wall had been placed there, so anyone who fell over the edge was destined for a long fall down, but it was a beautiful view of the mist that hovered over the water. Suigetsu followed close behind her, concerned that her injuries might cause her to trip. They stood together at the edge for a moment in companionable silence, wind clutching gently at their clothes, and he felt something inside him quell in contentment.

"Hey... what are these?" Naruto's voice was loud behind them, and he turned with irritation to watch him start towards some stone tablets set into the ground near the far wall of the cliff. Suigetsu realized with a horrible chill too late what he was heading towards. He exchanged a horrified look with Karin, and braced himself as he headed towards the blond, who was walking up and down the row of stones in an agitated way. Something white flitted at the corner of Suigetsu's vision, but he ignored it to concentrate on his friend.

"Guys... what _are _these?" Naruto's voice was slow and shaky, like he already knew. Karin rubbed the back of her head and looked at Suigetsu helplessly. He sighed.

"What do they look like? Graves, idiot."

He had forgotten about them – last time he had been here, they were meaningless. Just remnants of the Jinchuuriki, who remained faceless sacrifices to the Akatsuki. But here, with Naruto... shame burned hot at the bottom of his stomach as he looked at the stones with new eyes – how each name was inscribed with cold, clinical kanji... how there were no flowers, no decorations... just smooth patches of earth devoid of life or personality.

"That's my name." Naruto looked repulsed as he bent down to examine the spotless stone. "That's _my _name, right there. Are you telling me this is _my grave_?"

"The Akatsuki like to give the Jinchuuriki a bit of respect." Karin muttered. "So they give them a decent burial."

"_Respect_?" Naruto laughed, sounding on the verge of hysteria. He swept along the stones and began reading the names out loud, fingers tracing the bland kanji. "Gaara... Yugito... Roshi... Han... Utakawa... Fu..."

He turned to stare at them both. "This isn't respect... this is _sick_." He spat the word out, fists clenched. "To be buried in a place of death and ambition and fear... to spend eternity with the very people who murdered you like a monster... who call you 'it' and suck out your insides to gain power..."

His voice grew louder with each word. There was a flicker in the doorway, and Suigetsu saw Sasuke, Konan and Juugo silhouetted against the dark of the hall, watching them.

"There aren't even epitaphs!" Naruto snarled. "Or a village name, or anything about them at all! Just a name and a number." He looked green.

Karin touched his arm. "Some shinobi die in battle, and don't even get that."

He knocked it away. "These shinobi didn't die in battle, Karin! They were hunted down like _animals_."

"They _did _die in battle, Kyuubi." Konan said, stepping into the room. "They died to provide a better world for all of us. We therefore provide them with what little peace we can in death."

Naruto stared at her like she was an alien. "Are you fucking kidding me, lady? They won't find any peace in the den of their murderers."

Her smile was hard. "You can't possibly think they'd want their village on their gravestones, Kyuubi. These Jinchuuriki were marked as monsters and were persecuted by their own people... some of them even willingly gave themselves to us in the hope of ending their torment. You say that we treat them like animals..." Her eyes glowed. "But this is a much more decent send-off than they would have ever received in their home countries."

Naruto was shaking with rage as she continued. "You will be treated with respect too, Kyuubi... your burial will be much better than the unmarked, unconsecrated hole you would surely get from Konoha..."

"Shut _up_!" He spat, lunging towards her with fire in his face. Suigetsu's stomach sank as he watched the Kyuubi swirl into his eyes, saw in slow motion how his nails burst into claws and the whisker-marks in his cheeks sank into deep scars along his jaw. Naruto tore at her wildly with his hands, but Konan outstretched her arm and watched impassively as a swirling storm of paper detatched itself from her clothes and clung to him, restricting his movement. Naruto shook himself and a cloak of red chakra burst across his skin, causing the paper to turn to ash. He prepared to launch himself at her again...

...and was promptly smashed into the wall by Sasuke, who pinned him against it as he struggled wildly. One of his hands got free for a second and slashed at Sasuke's face, leaving two streaks of dark red across his jaw.

"Fucking monster... I'll kill her..." The blond snarled, writhing under the Uchiha's arms. Sasuke leaned forward and whispered something that Suigetsu couldn't catch, Sharingan spinning into a blur. Slowly, Naruto grew limp, eventually slumping into Sasuke, head against his chest. Suigetsu's heart clenched in apprehension, and he glanced sideways to see Konan eying the pair suspiciously.

However, she merely said, "I told you to keep it under control, Uchiha. Leaving it unsupervised is dangerous, and if I see it without a supression jutsu again, I'll put it into a coma until the ceremony."

She swept out of the room, paper rustling after her.

Naruto called after her retreating back, head still resting on Sasuke's shoulder. "You think _I'm _a monster? Look in the mirror!" He turned his eyes to the others, and Suigetsu felt his skin crawl as he saw the accusation there. "All of you!"

Sasuke looked up, and saw the other three staring at him. He shoved Naruto away roughly. The blond stumbled and fell onto the earth in front of his grave. He went completely still, gazing at the stone hopelessly.

"All of you." Sasuke looked pointedly at the rest of the team and indicated the door. "Out."

They filed out, one by one. Juugo shut the door and began to walk down the corner, before realizing he was on his own. The man turned to stare at Suigetsu and Karin, who were fighting for space to in front of the door.

"What are you doing?" He whispered. "Give them some privacy."

"What are _you _doing?" Suigetsu grinned at him. "Surely you can't pass this up..."

"Shut up!" Karin hissed at them. "I can't hear!"

Suigetsu made a face at her and then stifled a groan as she kicked his knee.

"...idiot!" Sasuke was reprimanding from behind the door. Suigetsu and Karin pressed their ears flat against the wood, still jostling for the most comfortable space. He could feel Juugo shaking his head behind them.

"This is wrong." He wrung his hands, but didn't leave – instead, he backed up against the far wall of the hallway, looking constantly from side to side as if afraid of being found.

The Uchiha continued. "You have _no _idea what that could have cost both of us! Konan has Pein's ear... she's not someone you take lightly!"

There was no reply. Sasuke sighed. "If you even look at her the wrong way again I'm going to have to confine you to your room."

Still no answer.

"I'm going to repress your chakra now. Don't struggle."

Naruto's voice was cracked and worn out. Vulnerable, Suigetsu noted. "Was what she said true?"

Karin leaned forward to hear his words, and he caught the scent of her hair – like spicy flowers. It was worryingly nice.

"I assume so. Konan doesn't lie." There was a rustle, followed by a hum of chakra. "And it wouldn't surprise me. The lives of many Jinchuuriki were extremely unpleasant. Suicide by Akatsuki wouldn't be the worst way to go."

Suigetsu could almost feel Naruto's scowl through the door. "Konoha would give me a good funeral. I know it."

There was a silence, and his voice was suddenly small. "They would, wouldn't they? Sasuke?"

Another long stretch, before Sasuke finally said, "I don't want to talk about Konoha."

"Oh, right." Naruto flared up. "I forgot that we're all evil, discriminating bastards. Never mind."

"If you're looking for an apology for any of this, you're not going to get it." Sasuke was sharp and edgy... (_defensive? why?_)

"I'm not. I know I'd never get one from _you._"

"Tch." Sasuke sounded annoyed. "You had your chance to run, and you didn't take it. That's not something I need to make _you _feel better about."

"I would do the same thing again if I had the choice." Naruto shot back, then sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just... I never thought..."

"What?" The annoyance gave way to a wariness that Suigetsu hadn't heard Sasuke use before.

"I never thought that they'd be different to me and Gaara." Naruto's voice was sad. "The others. I didn't know that they thought they were monsters... their entire lives... nobody ever told them anything different."

"Nobody told you anything different either, Naruto. You proved that you weren't one by yourself, with nobody else to count on. Gaara had you to show him that things didn't have to be the way they were."

"No." Naruto said miserably. "I had Iruka, and Kakashi, and Sakura... and you." The last word was spoken so softly that Suigetsu barely caught it. "You were my family. If I hadn't had you guys... I would have been just like them."

There was another series of rustling noises, and Suigetsu frowned as he realized he had no clue of what was happening. After a moments thought, he sank down to peer through the keyhole. Apparently Karin has come up with the same thing, and his cheek pressed against hers as they struggled for the thin, sliced view. Her legs were still splinted and inflexible, though, and with a muted growl of frustration she fell against him as she tried to kneel, ending with both of them tangled in the doorway as he reflexively caught her waist to prevent her from faceplanting the ground. From the corner of his eye he saw Juugo look pointedly away. He flushed, and felt a sharp pain as her elbow dig into his ribs while she pushed herself away from him.

"Tell me what you see!" She whispered into his ear, and shivers erupted down his spine at the warm air brushing his ear. Having completely lost track of the conversation behind the door, he looked through the keyhole and tensed in surprise.

It was an awkward hug, to say the least. Sasuke looked like he couldn't remember how one worked, and settled for clumsily slipping his arms around Naruto's back and patting it as the blond shook quietly, face turned in to Sasuke's shoulder.

"Sasuke..." His voice was muffled. "Don't let them bury my body here."

Sasuke's mouth drew down ferociously, and his arms visibly tightened around Naruto. "I..." He sounded lost.

"Please. Somewhere I can feel the wind. Not in here."

Sasuke nodded hesitantly, head lowering to rest on top of Naruto's. Suigetsu was torn between open-mouthed shock and hysterical laughter – the look on the Uchiha's face was something he had never seen there before. It was almost... _tenderness_. Regret.

"I won't let them." A beat. His breath ruffled through Naruto's hair. "I promise."

Naruto took a shuddering breath. "That's okay, then."

They stood there in silence, with Sasuke's hand slowly wandering in circles on Naruto's upper back, and the blond clutching his shirt sleeves, face buried in the crook of his neck. Suigetsu's stomach squirmed as a wisp of thought told him he shouldn't be watching this... this moment.

"Well?" Karin whispered expectantly.

"Uh..." He looked up at her eager face, struggling internally. "It's boring. You know. They're just talking."

She smacked his shoulder. "Come on, I can tell something's happening. Move over, let me see!"

Another quick glance through the peephole convinced him that Karin would probably be crushed by what she saw. As she clumsily knelt down, he pushed her away gently.

"Seriously. Bad idea."

Her eyes narrowed. "Move. Over."

"No!" He covered the keyhole with his hand, feeling like a small child again as she reached out to pull it away. He pressed his arm down on hers, trapping it against the wood. Already wobbly from her injured legs, Karin lost her balance and fell against him, cursing under her breath. The movement caused both of them to crash into the door, causing it to rattle. There was a sharp intake of breath on the other side, and he and Karin shared a panicked look.

Thinking quickly, Suigetsu rapped on the door with his knuckles. "Hey, Sasuke, hurry up! Sometime this year would be nice. We need to make sure that Konan doesn't sic Kisame on us or something."

There was another stretch of time, but then Sasuke opened the door, clothes perfectly in place and face a mask. Behind him, Naruto was less composed, with a slightly flushed face and dazed look in his eyes.

"Juugo, take Naruto back to his room and confine him there for the rest of the day." He began to walk down the hall without looking back. "Suigetsu and Karin, come with me."

Exchanging a look, they hurriedly followed him. If he knew about their less-than-subtle eavesdropping, Sasuke didn't mention it.

_aaa_

As Karin moved up to talk to the Uchiha, Suigetsu trailed behind in silent thought. His teasing remarks towards Naruto about Sasuke had been just that – jokes. But he had not missed the sight of them lying side by side when he woke up the morning before they had reached the Akatsuki, or how Naruto's hands had shook when Sasuke sharply reprimanded Juugo for falling asleep on guard duty, or how Sasuke's eyes rarely left the blond anymore. The images churned softly at the back of his mind as they walked through hall after endless hall.

Konan was waiting for them at the entrance to the main room, talking quietly with the shimmering visage of Zetsu.

"-no evidence." The black half of his face way saying as they approached. "And we have no reason to trust your word alone. Give us a reason to believe you, and we will consider supporting you. Otherwise, don't bother us again."

Seeing them approach, Konan spoke lowly. "You'll have your proof."

She then made a slicing movement with her hand, and the image fizzled out. A small frown spread over her features as she fell into step beside Sasuke, who didn't acknowledge her presence.

"Uchiha, that display back there was unacceptable. That Jinchuuriki must be contained."

Sasuke's lip curled. "You said he was my charge. So if I want to lock him up, I will. It's not your concern."

This irritated her even further. "It's my concern if the Kyuubi is unrestrained to the point of being dangerous. Do not allow him to have any access to his chakra again."

"It's Naruto." Sasuke said, and Konan glanced over at him in surprise.

"What?"

"His name." Sasuke looked straight ahead calmly, but Suigetsu smirked as he saw that his lips were pressed together. Six months of close proximity with the Uchiha had allowed him to decipher some of his emotions, and he could tell that Sasuke was _pissed_. "It's Naruto. Not Kyuubi. Don't call him that."

Konan arched a cool brow. "Is there a problem, Sasuke?"

"Yes." He bit out. "You're treating him as an object. He's a human being. Act accordingly."

She studied him closely. "If you've formed any sort of emotional attachment to him, you'd better learn to let it go."

She looked to the rest of them. "That includes you two, as well. Don't forget what you brought him here for."

"How could we, with those graves in plain sight?" Karin snapped, cheeks flushed. Konan looked at her disdainfully.

"Control your emotions, little girl. This is not a place for childish antics."

Okay, _now_ Suigetsu was mad. "Fuck, I forgot how much I hate this place. Konan, lay the hell off. We just traveled about four hundred miles to bring _your _stupid prize here while you sat on your ass and folded origami."

It was annoying how she didn't even bat an eye. "Sasuke, if you can't control your yapping dogs, don't bring them here. They irritate me."

A snake coiled up her leg, rooting her firmly to the ground. Suigetsu whipped his head around to see Sasuke staring at her with the full power of the Sharingan. More snakes slithered out of the arms of his shirt to wind up her body, hissing in her face.

"I've had just about enough of you. Say anything against my teammates again and I'll rip your tongue right out of your mouth." He said, voice becoming more slippery. Suigetsu repressed a shudder – it was downright nauseating how like Orochimaru he became whenever he used the snake jutsus.

She faced him with dead eyes. "Is this meant to scare me, Sasuke? Because you'll have to do a lot better than that."

"If you're not scared, you're a fool. You know what I'm capable of." The tomoe in his eyes suddenly banded together, spinning rapidly. Suigetsu smirked as he waited for her screams to begin. Sasuke's genjustus were not to be taken lightly.

Konan almost smiled. "Silly boy. I am God's Angel, and I do not fear you."

Lines began to shift over her face, and she disintegrated into thousands of sheets of paper, folding and swirling over the snakes until they were completely wrapped. They constricted suddenly, and the following crunch of reptilian bones made Suigetsu grit his teeth. Sticky blood dripped to the floor, and Sasuke made an angry noise at the back of his throat. The blood-coated paper suddenly coalesced back together, forming again into the woman. Red streaked and squirmed across her skin, contrasting brightly with the blue tones of her eyes and hair.

"You tried to use a genjutsu on me, didn't you?" She bent to the floor, scooping up a handful of the smashed snake into her hand. "They don't work on my paper clones. Surely you didn't think this was my _real _body."

Sasuke stood stiffly as she walked over to him and pressed her hand to the side of his face, leaving a bloody print over his cheek. "That look suits you, Uchiha."

"The only reason," He whispered to her dangerously, "that I haven't hunted down your real form yet is that Pein wouldn't like to find your dismembered corpse on his doorstep, and I need his support. You're certainly bold when your clones are on the line, but you know how a one-on-one fight would turn out. So I stand by what I said before – leave me and my team alone."

Konan tilted her head innocently. "Poor child. I do indeed know what you're capable of, and what you've been through. I've even felt the same kind of pain as you."

She smiled her empty smile. "I wonder if revenge will be as satisfying as you think."

In a flash, Sasuke unhooked his kunai and drew it across her throat. She only continued to smile vacantly at him as her clone burst into a thousand origami butterflies that slowly collapsed into dust.

Juugo rounded the corner and froze as he saw the scene. "That doesn't look good."

"It was definitely the real her when we first came." Karin wiped a splatter of crimson off her glasses. "She must have decided that we weren't particularly trustworthy. But I can still sense her chakra in the building. She's around somewhere."

Breathing in a deliberately controlled manner, Sasuke returned his weapon to his belt. "I'm going to bed." He announced to no one in particular, and turned to stride off down the corridor with quick, tense steps. The snake blood was still smeared across his face, a dark stain against his pale skin.

Karin called after him, blushing. "Thanks for standing up for us, Sasuke!"

Suigetsu scowled. "You know, _I _was the first one to say something."

She rolled her eyes. "But you mouth off to everyone. It's different."

He clenched his jaw.

(... _comforted her when sauske rejected her/patched her up when sasuke wouldn't give a fuck/stood up for her to konan when sasuke was worried about naruto..._)

"You know what?" He snapped at her and Juugo. "Fuck it. I'm going to my room too. Relax without you lot jabbering in my ear. Eat a meal in peace. Maybe jerk off and actually enjoy a night of sleep when I don't have to listen to your unfeminine snoring." He turned his back to them. "See you losers in the morning."

As he stormed off, he could hear her muttering. "Lovely. What's his problem?"

Juugo didn't reply for a minute, and Suigetsu realized with a sickening feeling that he probably _knew_. But then the large man merely said, "Cabin fever. We've all spent a bit too much time around each other lately. Don't worry, he'll feel better tomorrow."

Actually, that was true as well. Suigetsu slammed the door to his room behind him and stopped for a second, smiling at the solitude. He really didn't know how most shinobi teams didn't end up murdering each other after years of missions without any respite from their companion's annoying habits. There were certainly times in Hawk when he had felt like strangling various members. They all had irritating habits – Sasuke would sometimes just _look _at you for minutes on end without saying _anything_, leaving you to wonder if you had something on your face or had become suddenly disfigured. When Karin cleaned her glasses, she made the most horrible clicking noise with her teeth that sounded like a wildly malfunctioning clock. And every once in a while Juugo would whistle, and it was honestly one of the worst sounds Suigetsu had ever heard in his life – a toneless drone that somehow weaved _around _notes rather than hitting them, creating a cacophonous hell that plagued them until his lungs gave out.

Yes, sometimes it was very pleasant to retire to an individual, private room, where your own habits didn't annoy you and you could pretend the girl of your dreams wasn't desperately infatuated with the biggest douchebag on the planet.

Suigetsu stripped to the waist, flung his shirt in the corner, and curled into the soft bed. Somehow, he didn't exactly feel like the next day would be a peaceful one.

_aaa_

"Ah, the prodigal son returns." Suigetsu turned his head as he walked onto the plateau and broke into a wide grin.

Kisame looked a bit thinner than the last time Suigetsu saw him, but still radiated the same vibes of sheer power and confidence. The white-haired shinobi nodded and sat down next to him, following his line of vision to the spectacle of Naruto and Sasuke sparring viciously, almost indistinguishable from each other in a blur of strikes and tangled limbs.

"I'm surprised to see you down here." Suigetsu said. "I almost thought you were avoiding the team. Afraid I'd kill you?"

Kisame laughed deeply. "It's not time for our battle yet, little murderer. You're still not strong enough for me. In reality, I don't particularly care for Sasuke." He shrugged. "So I distanced myself. But Konan was spitting mad yesterday about the Kyuubi host, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about."

He spread his arms to encompass the plateau. "So here I am. And I have to say, I'm rather amused."

"Oh?" Suigetsu frowned slightly at the insult to his strength, but let it slide. He _would _probably be defeated in battle against Kisame... for now.

"Naruto." Kisame nodded to the blond, who ducked one of Sasuke's kicks and danced backwards, crouching with a feral grin on his face as he eyed the other. "I've met him once before – he's quite something."

"He definitely is." Suigetsu laughed. "Life of the party, Naruto. He makes things exciting."

"You like him." Kisame noted with a toothy smile. "It must have been an interesting trip here."

Suigetsu nodded. "It was."

The bigger man leaned on Samehada, watching the other two circle around each other slowly. "I've heard things about that kid. Most of the other Jinchuuriki are outcasts... loners... but this one is the star of his village. Hell..." He looked impressed as Naruto swept his feet under Sasuke's, sending them both toppling to the ground. "He's even got the Uchiha hooked."

"Huh?" Suigetsu cocked his head.

Kisame sniffed. "I wanted to test my strength against Sasuke, to see if he was as good as his brother. The kid wouldn't even deign to talk to me. And now look at him."

Sasuke watched Naruto back towards a log littering the ground, then jumped and rebounded off the wall towards him, hitting the blond straight in the stomach.

"Practically screaming for attention from that pipsqueak."

Suigetsu grinned at him. "Naruto's just like that. I don't know what it is, really. You want to impress him."

"Mm. It's too bad." Kisame turned back to fixing the bandages on his sword. "He might have really amounted to something."

"Yup." Suigetsu agreed, jealously eying Samehada. They spared a second of silence for the thought. "So, what are the chances of me winning that sword off you?"

"Zero." Kisame hoisted it onto his shoulder, and turned to leave the combat area. He called over his shoulder. "Unless you want to try mortal combat for it."

Suigetsu looked him up and down, limited detection senses overloading with the sheer amount of chakra that the missing-nin had.

"...I'll pass for now."

_aaa_

Suigetsu dreamed that he was –

(_once again standing in the mist, surrounded by the fallen bodies of his classmates. his legs moved of their own accord, and he knelt down over each of them, locking his lips to theirs as they exhaled their final breaths into his mouth. when he was done with one he would stumble to the next, greedily sucking away the last of their life until all the different energies squirmed around inside of him, eating away at his heart like acid until there was nothing left..._)

– and when he woke the bed was soaked in sweat, and there was another of the irritating rustling noises that had plagued him since arriving here. Massaging his temples, he swung himself out into the hallway.

_aaa_

He found Naruto on the plateau – the Jinchuuriki seemed to like it up there, despite the graves. He would often sit with his legs dangling over the edge, staring out at the rolling swells of mist. Today, though, he was sitting cross-legged against the rock wall, watching Sasuke with lidded eyes as the Uchiha read the jutsu scroll on the other side of the area, practicing hand seals.

"I lied earlier." Suigetsu sat next to Naruto, wrapping his arms around his knees. "It wasn't fun."

Naruto pulled his eyes away from Sasuke and looked at him sideways. "Then why did you do it?"

Suigetsu picked at the grass that was growing through the tiles on the floor of the plateau. "I know what you want me to say. That I was forced into it somehow, and that I'm not really responsible. It's hard to reconcile the idea of _me_, as you know me, with the idea of me killing twenty other children for no good reason." He shrugged. "But that's what you're going to have to do."

Naruto didn't say anything. Just kept looking, until he felt forced to go on.

"I... well, there were lots of reasons. I guess, firstly... you kind of have to understand that my village is different from yours. We're not encouraged to make friendships – they burden you. It was all about being the most powerful. But I can't really make excuses for myself – I _did_ think it would be fun, to see how easily I could beat them all." He ran a finger along his lip, thinking. "I started with Han, my rival... and my best friend. The hardest to kill. But at the end of it, I sat with his blood up to my elbows and his glassy eyes staring at me, and it wasn't fun. I didn't feel a rush. I didn't feel _anything_, and that was the weirdest bit at all. I felt... numb. Uncomplete. So I decided that I wouldn't do it anymore. There was no point."

He sighed. "But by then, his friend had found out. And she came to kill me in revenge. So I killed her as well. And then I still felt nothing, so I went down to the river to wash off. But then the others saw me, and they guessed what I had originally planned. So they attacked me preemptively, in self-defense. And I didn't want to die, so I killed them too, one by one. And with each one I killed, I felt a little bit less... myself. Until there was just a pile of bodies, and a big fat nothing inside me. Even when I had proved that I was the best, the prodigy of my generation."

He laughed wryly. "And a lot of good that did me, too. I was snatched up for Orochimaru's collection a year later. And he... did things to me." At this, he could feel his voice become hoarse, and quickly changed the topic. "But I lied about that rush, Naruto. There isn't one. Or if there is, it's so short that it's not worth it. It's just... an emptiness, and it grows with every step you take towards the darkness. In fairness, I never wanted to go that far. But I did, and here I am. And, Naruto..." He rubbed the back of his head. "It's hard to fill that void."

They both looked across the training field, where Sasuke was absorbed in the destruction jutsu. "That's why I can't really blame him for what he's doing. I know what it's like. He thinks revenge will make him whole."

"It won't." Naruto murmured.

"I'm not the one you need to convince."

Naruto nodded, then touched his shoulder. "So, what do you live for now?"

Suigetsu shrugged. "I don't really think about it. Maybe I'll find something. Maybe I won't."

"It must be weird, not having a purpose."

"Not weird." He grinned. "Empty, remember? But that's not so bad. I could still be with Orochimaru. And I have Sasuke to thank for that. Maybe that's why I'm still here."

"He said you were still here because of Karin."

Suigetsu was unable to hide the flash in his eyes, and cursed internally as he saw Naruto notice it. "He did, did he? Bastard."

"It's okay to have other people be your purpose, you know." The blond smiled at him. Suigetsu shook his head, grinning.

"You're so earnest, it really is sickening."

Naruto laughed. "You're not the first one to say that. But idealism isn't all naivety and innocence. It's believing the best in people. And _that _is something concrete – everyone has their good side, and all you have to do is bring it out."

"I imagine that's rather hard to do for some people." Suigetsu remarked, and watched Naruto look over to the dark man sitting in the corner. "Especially us monsters."

He had the grace to look abashed. "I shouldn't have called you that. It was low." His mouth quirked. "And hypocritical."

Suigetsu laughed. "That's okay. I thought you _were_ one, actually, when I first met you." He stood, nudging Naruto in the ribs gently with his foot. "But I guess I was wrong."

Naruto grinned at him, and he turned to go.

"Su... don't be depressed about Karin. She'll realize eventually."

Suigetsu shrugged again, struggling to remain nonchalant. "We'll see. But if she doesn't, it'll be alright, you know? I won't die... I'm not as lovestruck as some." He turned his head to look pointedly at Naruto.

The man went bright red. "Shut the fuck up. Right now."

He laughed and was about to reply when something small flickered at the corner of his vision, heading to the door. A chill crawled over his skin, and without thinking Suigetsu drew a shurikan and sent it whizzing through the air. It buried in the wall with a low thud, pinning the very edge of the wing of a beautifully constructed origami bird.

"What is _that_?" Naruto stood and went over to examine it. Suigetsu followed with a sinking feeling in his stomach, tugging out the weapon and capturing the struggling bird in his fingers. Its paper beak rustled in a horribly familiar way and pecked at him, slicing his palm open. He gritted his teeth and ripped the thing in half.

"Konan." He said, mostly to himself. "One of her spies."

A shiver trickled down his spine.

(_she's watching us_)

_aaa_

"Hey, we need to talk." Suigetsu leaned against the doorway.

"Not now." Sasuke barely looked up from the scroll.

"Yes, now." He said peevishly, and stepped into the Uchiha's room, swinging the door shut behind him. Sasuke's mouth became a hard line.

"Get out."

"Fuck you." Suigetsu said amiably. "I'll get straight to the point. Konan is watching us, and she obviously doesn't like what she sees. And the more I think about it, the more I really don't think this whole thing is a good idea."

"It's not really up to you." Sasuke said neutrally, still gazing down at his scroll.

"Look." Suigetsu was impatient. "I try not to take on the role of some sage wisdom-giver, if you know what I mean." He took a breath, remembering how Sasuke had drawn his knife across Konan's throat. "But as someone who occasionally sees you as a friend, I'm going to give you the best damn advice you'll ever get. Get out, and get out now."

"Get out of what, Suigetsu." His tone was flat and uninterested.

"This." He waved his arms. "Akatsuki. The ritual. Revenge."

Sasuke didn't even react – just moved the scroll to the left slightly as he studied a different section. Impatience prickled at Suigetsu's skin.

"You have friends, power, and no one controlling you. You could do whatever you wanted."

Sasuke's eyes gleamed in amusement as he finally looked up. "That's exactly what I'm doing."

"As soon as you go through with this, all of your freedom will end. I'm serious, man. You have two people who would go to the end of the world for you, and you don't even care. One of them you're about to throw to the wolves, and the other..." Suigetsu broke off for a second. "You're going to break her eventually."

He folded his arms, continuing. "Juugo loves you, too. He will follow wherever you go."

"And what about you, Suigetsu?" Sasuke's gaze was calculating.

Suigetsu grinned, the lamplight making his teeth seem even more pointed. "Me? I'm the wild card."

The Uchiha smirked. "Then how come you're so predictable?"

Suigetsu tilted his head. "Maybe I haven't been pushed to do something drastic yet. But I will be soon."

"Actually, I'm surprised you're advocating this." Sasuke said, not sounding very surprised at all. "I thought you didn't care about any of the others."

"And I used to think that you didn't give a shit about Naruto, either, and look how wrong I was about that. Guess we still have the ability to surprise each other."

It was the first thing to get a reaction out of him. Sasuke's fingers clenched around the scroll, wrinkling the old paper. "I don't care about him."

"News to me." He said dryly. "Then, if you don't care about him and aren't willing to get out of here, why not lock him up?"

"It's not necessary."

"Not..." Suigetsu shook his head, disbelieving. "Look, I'm trying to work with you here. Maybe you're so hyped on your own power that you don't see what's happening. But Sasuke, we can't take on the entire Akatsuki. Hell, we couldn't even defeat the Hachibi. What the fuck makes you think we can take on Konoha? We need the Akatsuki's help, and to get _that_, we have to make good on our promise to deliver the Kyuubi. Do you really think that Naruto isn't going to take the chance to run if he sees it? And he _will _see it, if we let him wander freely. I don't have any sort of personal vendetta against him - in fact, I like him a lot - but we need to think of ourselves here too. And if you don't even care, then put the safety of _your own team _above that of someone you have no feelings for."

Sasuke put the scroll down, and Suigetsu spied a red flush at the base of his neck. "Your concern is touching, but Naruto isn't going to run."

"How do _you _know?"

"Because I do. I know him." Sasuke snapped evasively. "Now get the hell out."

Suigetsu clenched his fists. "We could bring the Akatsuki down on us for this."

"We'll survive long enough to take out Konoha." Sasuke said coldly.

"And _then_ what, Sasuke, when we have the entire world against us?"

The Uchiha looked blank, and Suigetsu scowled to himself. "Suigetsu, if you don't have something interesting or urgent to say, then leave. I'm not going to discuss this further with you."

"Fine." Suigetsu spit, too angry to even come up with a parting shot. He deliberately slammed the door behind him, feeling childish vindication as the noise echoed down the hallway. Uchiha was throwing everything he had away for some stupid dead guy, and he was going to bring the rest of them down with him. Suigetsu was no idiot – he knew that Konoha was not as destructible as the rest of the team seemed to think it was. Assuming that none of them died in the attack, there would still be retribution for their actions, whether from Suna or a league of nations who formed a tribunal. Sasuke obviously didn't care what happened to him after his goal was accomplished – but what about _him_? And Juugo? And Karin? They still had their whole lives ahead of them... were living for reasons other than revenge and death. They would be held just as accountable as for Konoha's demise as Sasuke was.

_aaa_

Frustrated, angry, and with no one else to vent to, Suigetsu approached Juugo.

"This whole thing is giving off really bad vibes." He drummed his fingers on the stone as he leaned back against the wall. "I caught one of Konan's spies. She's starting to suspect that Naruto is being allowed more freedom than he should. If she says something to Pein... or Madara..." He shuddered at the thought. "We're going to be dead."

Juugo frowned. "Well, we can't lock him up."

Suigetsu smacked the wall in frustration. "That's my point! We _can _lock him up! Sasuke just doesn't want to. I mean, I like the guy, but I am not putting my ass on the line so he can stretch his bloody legs."

His friend looked uninterested. "I'm sure Sasuke has a good reason, Su."

"No, he doesn't. He doesn't have the faintest goddamn clue what his reason is, or what he wants anymore. I don't know what's happened or is happening between him and Naruto, and to be honest I don't give a fuck. But Konan's onto something, and she's sure as hell not happy about it. That _is _something I care about. You know, since she could bring the _entire Akatsuki_ down on us." He scowled at Juugo's slightly vacant expression. "Fuck, this is the exact same conversation I just had with Sasuke. Am I the only one that cares about this anymore? Oh, never mind."

He started for the door, but was interrupted by Juugo.

"Have you thought about what the Akatsuki are going to do after they seal the Kyuubi?"

Sugietsu shrugged. "Wreak havoc in a botched attempt to bring peace. Try to rule the world. The usual. Who cares?"

Juugo's hands were clasped tightly, fingers bloodless. "A lot of people will die."

Suigetsu stared at him. He looked ill and haunted. "Your point?"

"What, you need further elaboration?" Juugo was incredulous. "We're talking entire villages, Su."

"Are you kidding me?" Suigetsu shook his head. "You have _personally_ killed entire villages, Juugo. I hardly think the Akatsuki will be that more drastic."

"But we could stop this." A note of hope entered his voice. "If we got Naruto away from here."

"Look..." He sighed. "Ignoring the obvious hypocrisy of this plan of yours... we couldn't get him out of here if we tried, Juugo. This place was specially built to hold Jinchuuriki. And I repeat my question – who the fuck really cares? Villages get decimated all the time. If I were you, I'd be a bit more worried about Pein Rinneganing us into oblivion when he finds out that Naruto isn't restrained because the Uchiha's hormones finally woke up."

"Never mind." Juugo said bitterly. "I thought you might care about thousands of people dying. I forgot who I was talking to. Go worry about yourself."

"What I'm _worrying about-_" Suigetsu felt his temper surge beneath his skin. "Is my friends. Madara will never get rid of Sasuke, but how long do you think we'll last, Juugo, if they catch us saying things like what you just thought of? You, me and Karin are the most expendable people in the building. What if Naruto makes a break for it? We're going to get the blame."

"Naruto's not going to run, even though he isn't locked up." Juugo scowled, the unhappiness in his face exacerbated by the muscle movement.

Suigetsu felt like hitting something. "Why is everyone saying that? Self preservation is the first human instinct. Of _course _he'll run, Juugo, don't be stupid!"

"I know because I gave him the opportunity and he didn't take it!" Juugo bit out carelessly, then froze as he realized what he'd said.

Suigetsu stared.

(_guess we have more problems then i thought..._)

"Ju..." He whispered hoarsely. "Does Sasuke know that it was you?"

The big man looked away. "No." He rubbed his arms, looking anguished. "But I should tell him... I can't lie to him forever... he's my friend..."

Suigetsu gripped him by the shoulders, hearing him hiss as his fingers dug into his skin. "Listen to me carefully. He can never know. Got it? If he finds out, he will kill you. And then probably me and Karin as well, in case we were in on it."

Juugo shut his mouth nodded mutely.

"And I know it's hard for you to accept, but you can't help Naruto either. If he escapes, the three of us will be killed."

"But..." Suigetsu almost felt sorry for him – Juugo wrung his hands, looking torn. "If Naruto stays here, they'll use him for the weapon."

"If you let him go, you'll be betraying Sasuke."

"I've already killed too many people, Su... how can we sit by and let this happen?"

"Very easily." Suigetsu snapped at him. "You will rip _everything _apart if you help him. And put me and Karin in danger. _Again_." Seeing no other way to convince him, played on the incident in the woods even as the hot pang of shame sprang into his stomach.

Juugo shut his mouth and sagged slightly. "No... I- I won't put you two in danger. Especially her. Not again."

"Good." Suigetsu patted his shoulder, heading for the door to escape his guilt and regretting the day he ever said yes to joining Sasuke.

(_i can't believe i let myself get dragged into this_)

_aaa_

"Suigetsu, I'd like to speak with you." Konan's delicate hand encircled his forearm.

(_aw, fuck_)

He tried to pull away, wanting nothing more than to head back to his room and sleep all of this away. "Now is really not a good time, Konan."

"That's unfortunate." She steered him into a small, poorly-lit room that served as the eastern wing's pantry, and shut the door.

"You seem one of the more reasonable members of Team Hawk."

He shifted, wary of the flattery. "That's not saying a lot compared to the other members."

"True." A ghost of a smile turned her lips. "But I think you're the only one who can help me in this situation."

"Oh, anything for you." Suigetsu said sarcastically, edging towards the door.

Konan's eyes grew slated. "Tell me, Suigetsu, what's your relationship with the Kyuubi's host?"

That stopped him cold. "Uh... well, he's our prisoner. We talk sometimes, but I try to keep it to a minimum."

"Really." She looked unconvinced, but moved on quickly, and he suspected that the next question was the one she really wanted to ask. "What about Sasuke?"

(_shit shit shit_)

Suigetsu felt a bead of sweat slide down his back. He flapped one of his hands and said vaguely, "They're from the same village. Lots of shared memories, I guess, but that's about it. He doesn't really care one way or the other."

Sasuke had better fucking pay him back for this. All his time spent studying other people had left him little to spend on exploring himself, and as a consequence he was not a very good liar. He could tell that Konan picked up on his as she pressed forward, causing him to step back against the wall.

"Come now, Suigetsu. I know you intercepted one of my informants earlier on. Why would you destroy it if you didn't have something to hide?"

"Maybe we just don't like being spied on, did you consider that?" He growled, feeling hot.

Her smile was predatory. "It doesn't matter what that one saw. I have others. And I know about Sasuke and the Jinchuuriki."

Despite the tide of panic that he could only barely keep under control, some part of Suigetsu was relieved to hear that she knew little about _him_.

"Needless to say, the situation is unacceptable. The Jinchuuriki must be kept away from all of you, in case it makes something escalate."

He slipped sideways out of her gaze and into the open area of the room. "That's Sasuke's decision, not yours. He's _our_ prisoner. And what does this all have to do with me, anyways? Take it up with him if it's got you so upset."

"I'm afraid I find myself in a difficult position." She replied, turning to face him. "Pein has informed me that he does not want to anger Sasuke and subsequently Madara without very good cause. And unfortunately, my own observations are not solid proof to have the Jinchuuriki and the rest of you locked away until the ritual. Doing so without proper evidence would inevitably result in a rift in the Akatsuki."

The memory of her frantic conversation with Zetsu flashed across his mind.

(_oh, so that's it. sneaky bitch..._)

"You know, I don't think that's what this is really about." He tilted his head at her, suppressing a smirk.

"Oh?" Her smile was thin.

"I think that this is a power game between Madara and Pein." Suigetsu stabbed in the dark. "They both have different uses for the weapon. You and Sasuke are the next level down from them, and so you're searching for a way to gain a hand over _us_, just so that Pein has some leverage over Madara." He straightened, knowing he hit the mark when her empty smile was whisked into oblivion. "Well, fuck that, and fuck you. I'm not implicating my team so that Pein can get a bit further on his world domination plan."

He pushed past her, reaching for the doorhandle.

"Karin called me Pein's pawn earlier." Konan spoke softly as always, but her tone compelled him to listen for a second as he faced the door. "Do you really think that you're any different to Sasuke? He has become Madara's plaything. Whether you die here, or in Konoha, or in the retribution for the destruction... if you've fulfilled his need, he won't help you."

"Just cut to the chase." He said acidly.

"The rapid deaths of many of our members – many of whom had a significant amount of say within the policies of Akatsuki – has left a power vacuum within the group. If it's proven that Madara's favorite has become... _attatched_ to the enemy, the rest of the Akatsuki will rally to Pein and the weapon is more likely to become ours. Pein is not stupid – he knows that Madara plans to use it for his own means, whatever he might say. _We _intend to use this weapon for good. But I fear Madara's motives. Nothing is more dangerous than a man with a vendetta and nothing left to lose."

He took another step towards the door. "I don't see any advantage is getting involved with this."

The doorhandle was cold beneath his palm as she continued. "My informants cannot be everywhere, since Sasuke has been disabling them every time he feels one close by, but I know enough. I am aware of your growing opposition to your group's goals. If you admit it to this connection, or bring me proof of it, you and your comrades – barring Sasuke, of course, will be free to go if you wish, with no fear of retribution for leaving the Akatsuki. That is a rare offer."

"And if I don't?"

She sounded slightly amused. "Well, nothing ... unless I get proof of it on my own. I can guarantee that the consequences for _that _will be... quite dire. Not only from Pein and I, but from Madara as well when he learns that your team severely decreased his chance of controlling the weapon."

"It sounds like we're in the middle of a crossfire." Suigetsu said, disgusted. "And we're screwed either way."

"Yes... but _you _could escape from this." Her voice lowered. "And Karin, too."

Goddammit, was it really that obvious? Her little spies had done their homework well. He squirmed inwardly, and yanked the door open.

"I'll think about it. But don't get your hopes up."

As he fled, he heard her laugh melodically, followed by a parting shot. "Just say the word and it will be done, Suigetsu."

_aaa_

They still ate together that night. Suigetsu watched extra carefully, and saw how Naruto's hand accidentally skimmed the outside of Sasuke's arm as he reached for the salt. How Sasuke started slightly before his mouth softened into a hidden smile. How Juugo gripped his chopsticks extra tightly, eyes troubled as he watched Naruto grin. How Karin narrowed her eyes at the sight of the two Konoha shinobi side-by-side, and retired to her room early.

He saw how they fit together like the jagged, chromatic puzzle that Team Hawk was, and just how easily he could shatter it. And what was there to stop him, really? Karin was wrapped up in Sasuke irrevocably – there was nothing for him there.

(_she might come with me though maybe maybe_)

Juugo and Naruto were his friends, but Han had been his friend as well, and he had done far worse things to him. Most importantly, whatever debt he owed Sasuke had been repaid.

All he would have to do was tell Konan about how Naruto had affected the group. The chain of events was easy to predict – she would isolate the Jinchuuriki and confine the rest of them to their quarters until Madara came back.

And he would be free to go – free of Sasuke's obsession and Juugo's rages, of Karin's lure and Naruto's desperate plight.

But then... Suigetsu had been the only one of the team to truly _hate _Orochimaru. Karin had loved him in her own twisted way, and Sasuke had learned from him, and Juugo had been saved by him. The only glimpses Suigetsu had ever caught of him was standing in the shadows behind Kabuto's operation table as the medic-nin began to cut into his flesh, or through the warped glass of the tank he was kept in when the Sannin inspected the hideout. There had only been death for him in that lunatic's dungeon, and Sasuke had rescued him from it. Surely, there was something in that.

And Karin. Karin, with her inextinguishable will and fierce beauty and undying loyalty. How could he leave her, when he knew that Sasuke would burn her out eventually, like a leaf in a wildfire? Even if he didn't love her... he would be loathe to see something so bright consumed by an uncaring shadow.

And then there was Juugo and Naruto – eerily similar and different at the same time. While he resented Sasuke and fought with Karin, they were his grounding points... the people he could return to after any fight to joke and banter and relax with.

They were his friends – the only people in the world who he would give a thought to other than himself. Despite their dysfunctionality, he had grown fond of them... the petty arguments, quiet meals, visceral battles that left his muscles aching and made him feel _alive_.

They were his friends. But he had killed his last friends in cold blood, and felt nothing. A betrayal would be no different – better, even. Surely he could live with it. And while he had come to like these strange misfits, he was not fooling himself – he valued his own skin more than any of theirs, even Karin.

(you _could escape from this_)

He looked from the shifting faces of his team to the dainty origami bird perched in the rafters of the room, watching them. The emptiness he felt so often fluttering within him pulsed slightly, like whatever he chose would either widen or fill it.

Yes, Suigetsu understood people. The only thing he couldn't make sense of was himself.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed and that everything is going well on your end. **


	8. Pivot

**Title**: Daybreak**  
Chapter Title**: Pivot  
**Summary**: _Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning_. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks. **  
Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within, to my regret. Many thanks to the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto.

**Author's Note**: Where to begin? First off, the apologies. Sorry for the titanic amount of time it took to write this... between final exams, a family issue, a sudden and intense obsession with DRRR, and my natural brand of laziness, it took eons to finish. But more importantly - sorry for not getting review replies out this time around. It won't happen again. I feel incredibly bad about it, but I did read and greatly appreciated every comment. Thank you so much for all your advice, compliments, and criticisms. It all inspires me to constantly try and improve my writing. Special love to **PurpleCranberi**,** Panther Fire**,** The Deuteragonist**,** droptheice**,** Silver-Serval**,** xXMikomiUchihaXx**,** Mistress Dundrop**,** Duchessa**, and **Strangeblossom**! thanks for all your input, guys.

So, episode 166! I have to say that NaruHina was never really my cup of tea, although I _do _prefer it over most of the other major Naruto ships, but I love her character and the entire episode had me welling up. As for the manga... I'm not really feeling it at the moment, but hopefully that will change. Although Kishi finally made a woman (and a damn awesome one at that) useful again, yay!

Hope you enjoy, and thanks for your patience!

* * *

**Daybreak**

**Chapter 8: Pivot  
**

The third time Juugo brushed by him in the corridor without even a glance, Naruto lost his patience.

He wasn't used to this sort of thing. Sakura hit him if he annoyed her. Jiraiya and Tsunade yelled at him if he pissed them off. Iruka merely lectured him. Nothing he ever did seemed to provoke Sai or Kakashi into any reaction other than mild frowns. And Sasuke's anger was direct and brutal, manifested in the easy rhythm of fists or the sharp crackle of a Chidori. Naruto could deal with all of that – confrontation practically defined him. What he was not used to was this sullen resentment that smoldered on Juugo's face as he looked away.

"Okay." He planted himself in front of the man, arms folded. "I get it. I get it. You're pissed at me. Stop being so passive aggressive and just _do _something about it."

Juugo exhaled slowly. "Anger is not good for me, Naruto. You've seen what it brings out. I've learned to let things go."

"Come on. You haven't spoken to me since the day we came here." Naruto stepped sideways to block his path as the man attempted to bypass him. "Yell at me or something, if it'll make you feel better."

"I don't want to."

Naruto had to admire Juugo's composure – even his petulance sounded logical. The man bit his lip, amber eyes fixed on him. "I just thought you were more selfless than this."

"Huh?"

"You handed them the key to complete their weapon, just so you could chase Sasuke. A lot of people are going to die."

(_am i really being selfish_?)

Naruto shook his head violently. "Look, I... I have a plan, okay? They won't be able to use the Kyuubi. Trust me. We made a deal."

Juugo frowned. "The Tailed Beasts are just malevolent balls of hatred, fueled by insane amounts of chakra. They don't make bargains, Naruto. You can't trust it."

The suppression jutsu vibrated under the pressure of the Kyuubi's anger.

"It swore."

"On what, Naruto? Its honor? It has none. It's a monster." Juugo's face was dark. "Just like my other side."

Naruto waved him off. "I think _I'm _the expert on this one. He has a personality. He'll keep his promise. Besides..." He smiled. "You're just assuming that Sasuke won't change his mind about the Akatsuki. I mean, this is a _backup _plan. Have a little faith, huh?"

A tentative smile crossed Juugo's face, and Naruto continued. "You know, I could really use your help with everything."

"Oh?" Juugo looked suspicious.

"You know, I was kind of a dick about it at the time..." Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "But I really do appreciate what you did for me... letting me escape. Whatever happens from my decision to stay is my fault, not yours. You did a good thing."

Juugo gave a sigh and slid down the wall to sit with his knees drawn up, quiet for a minute. "I'm glad you said that." He closed his eyes. "How can I help?"

Naruto leaned forward. "You can tell me everything you know about Madara Uchiha."

_aaa_

Naruto skirted the edges of the main hall, feeling extremely conspicuous in his orange jacket as he scoped the room for any nasty surprises. Thankfully, it was still, but something still raised the hairs on the back of his neck as he stole closer to the structure that dominated the room – an air of barely restrained power that his instincts cautioned him not to provoke.

The statue seemed to call him, down to his very bones.

Naruto pressed his hand against it, fingers splayed pale against the stone, then jerked back with a hiss. The thing was practically _writhing _with chakra, thick coils of unadulterated power compacted and straining against the searing hot granite. Strangely, the heat didn't radiate out from the statue, but was somehow sucked back in by the hungry power as it fed off itself. Needling pain assaulted his hand, and he glanced down to see angry chakra burns already blistering across his palm.

The Kyuubi lurched sharply under the suppression shield, growling as Naruto steeled himself and stepped towards the statue again. If he was stuck in this stupid place, he might as well be useful and try to gain some sort of information about the Akatsuki. And something about the statue drew him, in some sort of visceral way that barely made sense in his conscious mind.

This time he pressed his other hand against it, and concentrated on picking out the different threads of chakra in the massive surge that was compacted inside.

(_there it is_)

No doubt about it – the gnawing, gritty chakra that had twisted under Gaara's skin during their fight at the Chuunin exams was in that mix. Somehow, they had managed to contain Shukaku and six of the other Bijuu in this stupid piece of stone. He went through all of them, beads of sweat sliding down his back as his hand threatened to burn right off at the stump. The Two Tails felt explosive and wild, while the Five Tails resonated with sadness and the Seven Tails paced relentlessly against its boundary. They were all there. And they were all incredibly angry.

"What do you think you're doing?" Konan's voice sliced through the heavy air, and Naruto swore at himself for letting down his guard.

"Just looking around." He sprung away from the statue, stuffed his damaged hands in his pockets, and did his best to look harmless. "What's this thing for?"

"Don't touch it," she said, ignoring his question. Her cold eyes didn't leave him as she sat on her tatami mat a few feet away from him. "There's enough chakra in there to kill a normal person just through proximity."

"_Now_ you tell me." Naruto drew out one of his hands and examined it. The blisters had already popped, raw skin splitting apart and oozing slightly. He grimaced. "Good thing I'm not normal, then."

Konan's eyes narrowed. "Uchiha isn't keeping you on a short enough leash. You shouldn't be in here."

"I'm not his pet," Naruto scowled, sliding further away from the door just to be contrary. "Or anyone else's, for that matter."

Her lip curled up. "No, I suppose beasts don't make very good pets. They are, by their definition, savage."

Naruto forced down the snarl that twisted his lips in case he helped her argument, and winced as he clenched his fists in reflex, irritating the burns on his hands. She looked satisfied with his silence, and turned her attention to two large stacks of paper in front of her, which she deftly began folding into different shapes.

Leaving would mean that he had backed down. Naruto instead sat cross-legged beside her, watching her fingers breathe life into the thin paper.

"What are you doing?"

The look she sent him could have withered an entire garden. "Practicing the foundations of my jutsu. Those who don't maintain their basic skills cannot call themselves master of their craft."

The movement of her hands was faintly hypnotic.

"I've never heard of paper style before."

"It's a combination of water and earth chakra, much like the wood technique that your First Hokage used." Konan closed her hands and blew into them, then extended her palm towards him to show off a intricate paper crane. It shifted, then flapped its wings and landed on Naruto's knee. "It requires intense chakra manipulation."

Naruto cupped it gently in his hands and brought the bird close to his face. "It's beautiful," he said, examining it with a delight stemming from his younger days, when constructions like it had fascinated him.

Surprise glimmered in her eyes, and her face relaxed into a cautious but genuine smile. "Thank you, Kyuubi. I take pride in my work. Origami is my way of meditating."

"But you attack with it," Naruto pointed out, head tilted.

"War can also bring peace," Konan said, voice smooth and confident. "It is a necessary part of it."

He stared at her. "I think that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

The paper she was folding ripped as she creased it too hard. "Honeyed words do nothing to bring stability to the nations. In this world, only force is recognized."

"_That's_ the reason you want this weapon? So you can bring _peace_?" Naruto's voice rose. "Can't you see how ridiculous that is?"

Konan's hand clenched around the flower she was folding, crushing it. "What's ridiculous is your naivety, _boy_. You weren't even alive during the shinobi wars... but _I _was, and I _remember_. Those who pleaded or showed weakness were slaughtered before they could even think."

"That was during a war. There's a chance for peace now, an alliance of the nations..."

She turned a scornful eye on him. "Do you think that mere words can soothe the rage of a mother who has lost her son? That meaningless kowtowing will appease the child who has had everything torn from them? You've seen Uchiha's obsession for yourself – only action will sate his appetite for revenge." Konan shook her head. "It is a cycle that cannot be broken by reliance on the better side of human nature. Negotiations do nothing. Our weapon will be so powerful that no one will dare continue any war."

She smiled, light glinting off the cruel line of her jaw. "And once in a while they will forget, and there will be a skirmish. And we will use the weapon against them, and the memory will be so profound that there will be no more conflict for decades."

"All you'll be doing is creating more fear, and hatred towards you!" Naruto jumped to his feet. "You might end one conflict, but you'll just end up starting another. Nobody will stand for it!"

"I would not expect you to understand, Kyuubi." Konan picked up another sheet of paper and lined the edges together. "You are young, and have not yet seen that another way is hopeless."

"My name," he growled at her, "is Naruto."

Her fingers stilled, and she looked up at him with an odd expression. "You're really not afraid of me, are you?"

"Why would I be? Cowards don't scare me," he said, folding his arms.

Something like shock widened her eyes before she lowered her head to continue her work. "That is not something I've been called before, _Kyuubi_."

He frowned. "It's a coward's way out to take the easy route instead of working to fix a problem. Your solution is like trying to tape over a leaking dam – it'll only work for a little while. You actually have to seal up the crack."

Konan laughed then, and the freezing sound chilled him straight to the bone. "You remind me of myself when I was a child."

She looked up at him, cold amusement in her eyes. "We'll see how you feel when Uchiha destroys your village. Will you be content to sit back and wait for a tribunal to punish him, or will you seek vengeance? And if you're willing to let it slide, will your friends be also? The cycle never ends, Kyuubi, and now that we've found a way to stop it, we will. No matter the cost."

"That's not how it's going to be."

"It's no use trying to fight it. Some things are inevitable."

"Do you think you're some kind of god or something, to force the rest of the world to what _you _think is the right idea?"

"No. I'm not God." Konan smiled her empty smile again. "Merely God's Angel."

Naruto could feel his eyes darken. "Angels spread peace and understanding. If you _are _one, you've fallen just as far as Madara has."

With that he spun around and slammed the door into the hallway closed on the rigid mask of her face.

_aaa_

"You shouldn't piss Konan off," Suigetsu told him as they clashed together briefly, eyes serious underneath the gleam of the kunai. "She already has it in for you."

Naruto double feinted to the right and ducked in under his arm, tapping the flat of the blade against his ribs. "You can't expect me to just sit there and say nothing. Their plan is ridiculous. It will never work."

Suigetsu acknowledged the hit with a slight nod, pulling back into a more defensive stance as the wind off the lake sent them both shivering. "That's not the issue, Naruto. Whether it will work or not doesn't matter. It's the fact that _you're _the one pointing it out."

"So you think it's stupid too, right?" Naruto pressed forward, throwing a quick flurry of wild strikes to throw him off guard before switching to a precise jab in the stomach, drawing a thin line of blood.

Suigetsu tightened his lips in pain and grabbed Naruto's arm, swinging him into the cliff wall where his head hit with an audible crack. "I think Sasuke's plan is even stupider, but no one's listening to my opinion." He drew his fist back to punch him. "Just like no one will listen to yours. It's unfortunate, but there you go."

Naruto caught the blow and used the leverage to reverse their positions, firmly pinning Suigetsu's shirt to the wall with his kunai. "I'll make them listen," he grinned, hand at his opponent's throat. "And... I win."

"That's what you think." Suigetsu's smug smile stretched and deformed as his form changed, becoming a thick rope of jelly that spiraled up Naruto's arm and down his torso. Naruto recoiled in revulsion and frantically tried to wipe it off himself, but was soon forced to the ground as it wrapped around his legs and jerked them out from under him. Before he could leap to his feet, the goo reformed with a distinct sucking sound into Suigetsu, who pinned him with a knee to the small of his back.

"Hey! We agreed, no special creepy attacks!" Naruto squirmed, trying to throw him off.

"Force of habit," Suigetsu said, grinning unapologetically. "Sorry."

"Cheat." Naruto tapped the ground three times in quick succession, handing over the point. "If I had my chakra I would wipe the floor with you."

The white-haired shinobi cackled and stood, holding out his hand. Naruto took it and grinned at him, enjoying the novelty of a challenging training partner who didn't insult his manhood or general worth as a human being at every turn. He had taken to sparring with Sai in Konoha because the constant litany of insults reminded him vaguely of Sasuke, but it had never even been close to the same thing. Someone new was refreshing.

There was also the fact that Sasuke was refusing to spar with him now. He had taken to withdrawing into his room more and more, snapping tersely at anyone who interrupted him and making sure that he was never in the same vicinity as Naruto. This was beginning to seriously piss him off, but the blond had refrained from a direct confrontation. There was something awkward between them now, a steady barrier of unsaid things that stemmed from the time that Sasuke had held him. The memory made his cheeks flush hot, especially as what he had said resurfaced for the millionth time in his head.

(_when i die..._)

_Why_ had he said that? How weak must he have seemed, to the one person whose respect he craved? It had all suddenly seemed so desolate, sitting in front of the graves of what could be considered in a sick way his family, his own name standing sharply on the white stone. Lost in Konan's words, he had believed it for a second, that he had done nothing more than come to this barren place to die.

All it had taken, though, was Sasuke's arms around his back, the deep rise and fall of his chest, the slight lowering of a wall he had begun to believe might never be breached.

And then the stupid asshole had gone and sealed himself away again. Still, the incident had infused him with fresh energy – a low thrum in his limbs that intensified around Sasuke, urged him to keep going.

Naruto was yanked back to the present by a black swirl past the doorway, and he turned to see Konan retreating down the hall.

"Hey, Naruto. I..." Suigetsu's head was bowed, eyes hidden behind hanging locks of hair. Naruto looked over at the reluctant tone of his voice, noting that his face was pale.

"What's up?"

"No. It's... nothing." Suigetsu frowned, rubbing his shoulder in a way that locked his arm across his body. "I need to... go. Yeah. Talk to Kisame. See ya." He disappeared in to the hallway, leaving Naruto to stare after him thoughtfully.

To be one of Naruto's houseplants usually meant a long and painful death of dehydration, but he fancied that he was getting better at gardening. After all, the one that he had planted outside the Uchiha residence a few months prior was growing quite nicely, although that was more due to the fact that Sakura somewhat forcefully reminded him to water it every week. He hoped she would remember to do it in his... extended absence. He wanted Sasuke to see it when they got back.

"What are you doing?"

Naruto squinted against the sun and gave Karin a subdued smile. "Juugo's birds gave me some seeds."

He saw her eyes travel from his grimy hands to the graves in front of them, and she nodded in understanding. "It will look nice when they bloom."

"Yup!" Naruto forced a grin and turned back to the work, expecting her to shrug and leave. He started slightly when she knelt down next to him instead, gently taking a few seeds from the pouch and leaning forward to press them into the dirt of the graves.

"I'm bored," was all she said when he looked at her sideways. He nodded, smile growing warmer.

"Thank you."

Karin flushed, casting her eyes around and then pointing at the small mounds of soil he had formed accusingly. "You're such an idiot. Don't they teach you anything in Konoha? You can't bury them too deep like that or the sunlight won't reach them."

Naruto laughed as she began to smooth the earth down fussily. "I never thought you'd want to get your hands dirty."

She trailed her manicured nails through the dirt with a light frown. "I can see why you'd think that. But I used to garden with my mother. Before."

The heavy tone of the last word made him glance up from his attempt to redistribute the mounds. "Before what?"

She planted another seed, not looking at him. "Orochimaru."

"Oh." Naruto rubbed his forehead, leaving a smudge of dirt. "I think a lot of things were better before him."

"Mm." She patted down the earth, and they finished the task in a contemplative silence.

Naruto sat back on his heels as the sun appeared behind a thick layer of clouds, bleaching the headstones in light.

(s_orry I didn't get here in time for you, guys. i'll make it right, don't worry._)

Karin was talking, but it took a minute for him to register the words. "You should dig a run-off trench. It rains a lot here, especially when Pein's around. The plants might drown otherwise." She dusted her hands off, looking over their work. "Since they're flowers used to growing in the wild, they won't need much looking after, though. So you don't have to worry about them, you know, not lasting."

The sun highlighted the crimson gleam of her hair, and her eyes were soft behind the thick frames of her glasses.

"Karin..." He brushed a thin film of dirt of the front of Fu's grave, and smiled at her. "You're a lot nicer than you think you are."

A red tinge spread across her cheeks. "I... uh..."

She leaned forward and dragged her thumb roughly across his forehead, still blushing. "You have dirt on your face, idiot."

Naruto grinned, but as he opened his mouth he saw her stiffen and look over his shoulder. He glanced towards the doorway and locked eyes with Sasuke. His brow was knitted together, thumb worrying his lip pensively as he watched them. As soon as he saw them looking, though, the Uchiha walked briskly on and was swallowed by the darkness of the corridor. Karin sat back on her haunches, watching the empty space for a few moments.

The words were out before he could think them through. "Would you still follow him if you didn't love him?"

She snorted. "Of course not. Would you?"

Naruto felt lines of heat twine up his face, even though he knew she meant it in a platonic sense. "I'm not following him! I'm trying to change his mind."

Karin's glasses glinted in the sun, hiding her eyes. "There's not a lot of difference at this point."

Naruto scowled and turned back to smoothing the earth by the graves. "I can't imagine myself without him." He clenched his fist, compacting the dirt mindlessly. "Is that bad?"

Karin chose her words carefully. "With the way things are going between you two... perhaps that's a dangerous to way to think."

_aaa_

They were arguing again. It was weird to see someone yell at Sasuke as frequently as Naruto did, but over the last few days Suigetsu's voice had grown somewhat hoarse from shouting. He figured it had something to do with Karin, but his this time his friend's particular choice of words made him stop as he passed the closed door that their voices emanated from.

"...have to make a _choice_!" Suigetsu's voice was loud behind the door, unnaturally angry. "You can't have both worlds, Sasuke."

"Given your recent actions, it's not _my _loyalty to this cause that you should be questioning."

"Loyalty?" Suigetsu laughed. "You know I don't give a shit about Konoha one way or the other. But you're backing us into a corner."

"The ritual will happen soon anyways. It won't be an issue for much longer."

"It's already become one."

There was a second of shrewd silence. "Konan has been talking to you."

"No!"

"Don't lie to me."

Suigetsu's irritated tone covered the uneasiness beneath. "There's no need for Sharingan. I just don't feel like telling you what she said."

"So that's it. She wants something from me. What did she promise you in return for it, Suigetsu?"

"Nothing I couldn't manage myself."

Naruto could almost see Sasuke's eyes narrow. The beginnings of a headache began to creep out from his temples. "The only things you care about are Samehada and Karin. What did she promise you?"

"Something else," Suigetsu snapped. "Maybe you don't know me as well as you think, ne? And come to think of it, maybe you don't know yourself all that well either. Make a decision, or someone else is going to make it for you."

Sasuke's words dropped into a low hiss. "Was that a threat?"

There was a series of small shuffling noises, and Suigetsu's voice became taut. "Just an observation. Get that fucking thing away from me, you know I hate snakes."

"You need to rethink your priorities, Suigetsu. Now get out."

Something crashed. "With fucking pleasure."

Naruto barely leaped out of the way before the door slammed open and Suigetsu stormed into the hallway.

"He's insane," he told Naruto, throwing up his hands in disgust. "Abso-fucking-lutely crazy. You sure know how to fucking pick them, Naruto. Fucking hell."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "_You're _the one who chose to be on his team."

"That was before I knew he got a kick out of suicidal situations. Fuck." Suigetsu shook his head and stormed down the hall. Sasuke stepped through the doorway, stiffly watching his companion retreat. Naruto stuck his hands in his pockets.

"I see you've still got that personal touch."

Sasuke examined him for a second, eyes veiled, then gave a scowl and swept off in the opposite direction to Suigetsu without even a retort.

Damn it. This wasn't what he had come for. He needed Sasuke to talk to him. To listen.

(_to touch me again_)

Naruto began to walk after him, mouth dry, but stopped and braced himself against a wall as his headache exploded into a full assault, familiar heat flashes wracking through his muscles.

The support still wasn't enough to keep his legs from giving way when the nausea hit, and he smacked his head against the stone floor as Sakura invaded his mind.

(_NARUTO?)_

_(i'm here sakura fuck this hurts are you okay?_)

(_I WON'T BE UNTIL WE FIND YOU. THE SEARCH TEAM LOST YOUR TRAIL THREE DAYS AGO. WE GOT YOUR MESSAGE. TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU CAN ABOUT SASUKE AND __WHERE YOU ARE.)_

_(akatsuki,_) he gasped. (_i'm at the akatuski headquarters. in a cliff by a bigass lake. don't know what __nation, but there's forests. can't be too far north or south._)

(_AKATSUKI?_) If possible, the volume of her voice increased even further. (_FUCK. _FUCK. _HAVE THEY HURT YOU? HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE?_)

Rapid footsteps echoed in the hallway. _(i don't know, i'm sorry sakura-_)

(_IT'S OUR FAULT, NOT YOURS, I COULDN'T BELIEVE We lost you-_)

Karin's fingers were once again at his neck, but this time the claustrophobic chakra pressing on his mind did nothing but increase.

(_noT THIS TIME!) _There was a sudden lash of Sakura's raw energy, and Karin reeled backwards, boots scrabbling on the floor. She hissed, closing her eyes, and Naruto cringed as he felt her chakra slam into Sakura's, edges serrated and aimed to rip. The connection between them buckled for a moment as Sakura withdrew, swearing, but she rallied and struck out again, green chakra hooked and divided into wiry tendrils that had made Karin hunch into herself, still stabbing out with her own power. The two forces flashed through the battlefield of his mind, indistinct blurs of color and splashes of pain bright against the inside of his eyelids.

(_stop! don't hurt each other!_) Naruto forced himself onto his hands and knees, hurling his own chakra into the crossfire. One of Sakura's whip-like tendrils stabbed at it before she restrained herself, and his arms gave way under the pain.

(_ARE YOU OK-_) Both of Karin's hands pressed his head to the floor as she took advantage of the distraction, and Sakura was cut off in a shriek of pain as she slammed her chakra into his mind. The connection abruptly severed, leaving him with an odd ringing in his ears and a ferocious headache.

Karin released him, breathing heavily. "That girl is starting to annoy me," she said. "I can't believe they're still looking for you."

"You didn't have to hurt her." Naruto sat against the wall. "She's my best friend."

For some reason, Karin's eyes became wounded at that. "So it's fine that she just started sawing into my mind, but not okay if I even touch her?" She flicked her hair back angrily. "Fine."

"Sakura doesn't know you." Naruto said wearily. "She thinks you're my evil kidnapper. Of course she's going to want to injure you."

"I _am_ oneof your evil kidnappers," Karin pointed out, glasses flashing. "But that doesn't mean I like seeing you in pain. She was hurting you."

He couldn't keep an incredulous note out of his voice. "Are you serious? She was trying to get me out of here."

Karin stood, looking hurt. "I thought you didn't want to leave."

"Uh..." Naruto began to feel that they were deriving very different meanings from this conversation. "Well... I don't. Not yet. But dying here isn't really on my list of things to do either."

"So it's still about Sasuke."

"It's always been about Sasuke." Naruto tried to read her face. "Just like it always has been for you."

Karin was only becoming angrier. "So what are you going to do, exist in some sort of limbo until he makes a decision? Don't the rest of us mean anything?"

"I'm losing whatever you're trying to say here." Naruto shook his head. "The rest of you are here because you _want _to be."

"So are you, you idiot! I don't want you to leave, but I don't want you to stay here and die either." Karin stamped her foot. "Why didn't you go when you had the chance, Naruto? This is stupid. You're going to die."

"I won't," he said stubbornly.

"You are if you just sit around and kind of vaguely hope that Sasuke changes his mind! Stop talking to me about it and go _do _something about him!" She lowered her voice, eyes flitting the lengths of the corridors. "Just because I want to be on this team doesn't mean I want us mixed up with the Akatsuki. I don't want him to be here either. It's too dangerous. But I think that you're the one who can help. He doesn't... he doesn't listen to me."

(_ah_)

"You know," Naruto said, "it would have been a lot easier if you told me that you felt this way earlier."

She looked down. "Don't expect me to apologize. You were some loud weirdo from Konoha that we picked up out of luck. How was I supposed to know what you were like?"

He grinned. "And you were some bitch that I thought was a poor replacement for Sakura."

Karin punched his shoulder. "Guess we're even."

"Looks like."

_aaa_

His arm still ached from Karin's punch. Naruto took a deep breath. "So, I heard about Madara."

The only response was the cords in Sasuke's hand standing out as he swung his sword in a controlled arc. His eyes were fixed on the far side of the plateau.

No point beating around the bush. "Is he the one who's been telling you the lies?"

Sasuke's face shut down. "They're not lies."

"Come on, Sasuke, think about it. You _know _Konoha, you've been a part of it, there's no way-"

"You're not going to shut up about this, are you?"

Sasuke sighed and drove the point of his sword into the dirt, leaving it standing on its own. He looked up at Naruto for a moment, then seemed to decide something. The bags under his eyes deepened as he opened his mouth. "The Third did it."

Naruto's brain screeched to a halt before groaning into overdrive. "That's bullshit," he spat. "He _sacrificed_ himself for us, don't you _dare _say-"

"The Hokage's duty is to protect the village at all costs," Sasuke said, eyes tracking the increasing agitation of Naruto's movements as he started to pace. "The Uchiha plotted a rebellion, one that would have caused significant damage, so he eliminated them."

"_That's a lie_! He had the Will of Fire, he was kind-"

"Open your eyes, Naruto." Sasuke was getting worse at hiding his emotions, or maybe Naruto was getting better at reading him, because the frustration was plain in his eyes. "He made you grow up alone, not knowing human contact and shunned by everyone. He let Orochimaru get away with his experiments for years – turned a blind eye to his obvious evil. He was weak. The advisers pressed him into the genocide, and he didn't resist." Naruto felt that his knuckles were going to snap from clenching so hard, but he couldn't speak as Sasuke continued through gritted teeth.

"And it's not just him – every Hokage has done it. The Fourth sealed the Kyuubi into _you –_ some baby that was just lying around, and subjected you to a life of misery. You didn't even get a choice. Nobody has ever put a stop to the Hyuga clan branding and treatment of its second-class members, and you know why? Because a clan of shinobi that powerful would be strong enough to control the village if they weren't so divided and bitter... they'd be almost as powerful as the Uchiha."

"It's not true, Sasuke." Naruto could hear his own voice shake.

Sasuke looked at him for a second, then smirked humorlessly. "I can see it in your eyes. You believe it too. You're not _that _stupid, Naruto. The Hokages all do what they think is best for the village, and they won't let anything get in their way. It might even be a noble ideal if they didn't ruin innocent people to do it."

"Sasuke," he said desperately, "even if it _is_ true... it's just the advisors, Sasuke, just the old Hokage. Not the entire village. Do you really think people would have put up with it if they'd found out? Come back with me, we'll put them on trial, we'll tell everyone what happened... you'll see, they'll get punished, your brother and clan will be cleared..."

"You don't _get _it." Sasuke's mouth curled back into a snarl, eyes becoming inhuman. "I don't want justice. I don't want a _trial_. I want them to _die_, screaming and unable to smell anything but their own fear. I want them to curse the day they laid eyes on Itachi, forced my own brother to make an impossible choice. I want punishment. I want _revenge_."

A bone-deep shiver crawled down his spine. "And what the fuck is that gonna do for anybody, Sasuke, huh? Your family will still be dead. I'll still be the Kyuubi vessel. And we'll both still have wasted years of our lives over some stupid decisions that three or four people made over a decade ago. All that's gonna happen is you're going to destroy your chance of ever being happy. Because Konoha will forgive you, if you come back now. You haven't done anything that bad yet – you actually killed Orochimaru, which is a massive bonus. You're part of our family. The people responsible for this _will _be rightfully punished, Sasuke, and even by you – just in a different way. They'll probably even be executed for a crime like genocide. Your family will still be avenged. Does it really matter that it happens by lethal injection and not your sword?"

Sasuke shook his head violently. "It makes every difference in the world. I'll just be letting the cycle continue. It's not just the elders that need to die – it's Konoha's entire way of life."

"But I'm going to change it!" Naruto said. "You can help me. I'm going to be the next Hokage, and I'll make sure that nothing like this ever happens again! Believe me, I _know _that something's wrong with our system. How could we have become the people we have if it actually worked? But we'll rebuild it, change what we have so that it works." He smiled. "Together."

Sasuke looked at him for a long time. Eventually, he said, "Do you honestly believe that they're going to let a Jinchuuriki be the Hokage?"

Naruto stuttered in his tracks. "O-of course! Gaara made it, and so will I!"

"Gaara is different. Orochimaru kept a close eye on him – he's kept himself tightly in control since the Chuunin exams. Shukaku is restless occasionally, but only during the desert storms, when Gaara removes himself to avoid hurting anyone."

He blinked and was unable to stop himself from pacing again as Sasuke continued.

"It's not the same for you. The Kyuubi can control you on occasion, and everyone knows it. Orochimaru was watching you too. He was interested in the way anger seemed to bring out the worst side of you. I'm surprised they're still allowing you to even go on missions. The Fourth's seal is very weak at this point."

"You don't know anything about it!" This was the _one _thing he absolutely did not want to talk about with Sasuke. "You've been gone for the last three years, you haven't been around to see what it's like! I'm getting better, I can control him a bit now!"

The memory of losing control of his legs to the fox sent a shiver down his back, and Sasuke's mouth tightened into a smirk.

"Poor Naruto," he mocked. "You're just deluding yourself. What Konan said the other day was actually right. Do you really think Konoha would even give you a proper burial? You can't fool _my _eyes – I see the Kyuubi awakening."

"Shut up. You don't know anything."

"You look more like the fox every day. Even now, just when you're angry, your scars are darker. If I hadn't taken you hostage, eventually you would have lost control, and they would have killed you out of self-defense."

"Shut up!"

The cold wall he had begun to breach over the past few weeks was back into place – Sasuke's eyes fairly glistened with malice. "And you would have proved the villagers _right_, Naruto – they'd think you _were _just a monster in the end, and you would never be put on the hero's monument... you'd be remembered as the monster, the weapon, the one who nearly killed everyone he loved."

"SHUT UP!"

Sasuke was ready for the punch Naruto threw, but not the front kick to the solar plexus that knocked the breath out of him. The blond pressed forward, elbowing him in between his ribs but taking Sasuke's defensive strike right in the collarbone, falling backwards onto one knee.

He glared up at Sasuke, tensing for another strike. "You think you're so fucking _special_, don't you? That everything you've been through gives you some sort of god-like right that means you get to do whatever the fuck you want. _You're _the one who's deluding himself, Sasuke. Are you scared that you've spent so much of your life doing things alone that you won't let us help you? Bonds with others only make you stronger."

"Stronger?" Sasuke was deceptively still for a second. Then there was a faint whine of air, and Naruto flew across the area into the far cliff wall as he blurred into motion, picking him up and slamming him into the rock.

(_don't respond don't respond show him how meaningless this is_)

"Show me how much strength you've gained from your bonds, Naruto. Can you stop this?" Sasuke punched him in the stomach, and he felt a rib jar loose. Naruto forced himself to not to retaliate, although his muscles shook from the effort as he doubled over.

"Or this?" Brilliant metal shone in the sun for a second, and he felt warmth trickling down his face.

(_don't move don't move don't move_)

"Or this?" Naruto barely felt the grip on his arm before Sasuke flipped him, pinning him to the ground. His face bounced off the stone, blood filling his mouth and nose.

"Well? Show me the power of your connections, Naruto. And maybe I'll admit I was wrong. But I have to say..." He stood up, scorn twisting his features as he looked at Naruto's sprawled figure. "You're not making a very convincing case."

Fire filled his veins, and Naruto spit out the taste of copper. With a wince, he pushed himself onto his hands and knees, and with every muscle and instinct screaming themselves hoarse at him, managed to stand. He wiped the blood off his lips, staring at Sasuke.

"I don't know if I would win against you in a fair fight, Sasuke. Maybe. Maybe not. I've gotten a lot better since last time. But I'll tell you something: even if you were still stronger than me physically, I would get up every single time you knocked me down. Because I believe in you. And I have friends in Konoha... and here... who believe that I can bring you back. Who believe in me. Are relying on me. Who I don't want to let down, and who I want to see again. I can see a future that I believe in, with you and the rest of my family, and I will die before I see that dream fail."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Then I guess you'll have to die."

"And even if I die, my dreams won't die with me. The connections that I've made mean that it will continue. Sakura will work to keep our vision we had together alive, and if she fails then Kakashi will. And if he does too then Sai will. Or Hinata. Or Lee. And they all have the full power of Konoha behind them. Your revenge ends with you and your death. But the strength of my bonds mean that my hopes will live on."

Sasuke's hands were shaking around the hilt of his sword. "Stop talking, Naruto."

Naruto bared his teeth. "Why? Gonna kill me too, just like Itachi?"

Sasuke's eyes spun into the Sharingan, and before he could blink Naruto found himself pushed back until his head hit the rock of the cliff, sword pressing hard enough against his throat to draw blood.

"I told you to stop talking."

"You're scared to admit that you fucked up with him, aren't you? That you killed someone who actually loved you. That your revenge was meaningless." Sasuke's glare was murderous, but he continued. "But you don't have to go any further. Everyone makes mistakes."

In reflexive action that might have saved his life, Naruto dropped to the ground an instant before Sasuke's fist sunk into the wall behind him, the force of the Chidori cracking the rock as far up the cliff as he could see.

"Fucking hell." Naruto slipped out between Sasuke's legs and the cliff, launching a punch that the Uchiha turned to block, lightening still skittering up his arm. He heard a slight hiss and jerked his arm back as it began it to burn, barely dodging Sasuke's fist as it aimed at his head, hitting his forehead and dislodging the forehead protector that was tied there. Clutching his arm to his chest, Naruto rolled away and came up in a low crouch, but stopped short.

Sasuke stood a few feet away from the edge of the cliff, holding the protector. Konoha's symbol stood starkly against the gleaming background, and he seemed almost entranced.

"You just don't give up, do you?" Sasuke murmured, staring down at the twisted piece of metal. "You'll never give up. You don't know how."

His hand clenched around it, and in a wild burst of hope Naruto thought that he was going to put it on.

Sasuke's mouth tightened, and then drew back his arm and threw the protector. Naruto saw it glint in the sun as it curved over the side of the cliff.

(_that's the only part of konoha i have left_)

He was already moving as the barely coherent thought crashed through his mind, and without thinking he leaped into the air after it. There was a blurred flash of Sasuke's suddenly bloodless face, and then the wind filled his ears with static as he tumbled over the edge, arms outstretched.

(_...so this is what flying feels like..._)

Freefall made him feel like he had left his stomach back up with Sasuke, and the wind made his eyes tear up, but Naruto let out a whoop as angled his body to reduce air resistance and reached out, clamping the hiate-ai firmly in his fist. The pressing thought that this hadn't been the most well-thought out plan of his life dispelled any feelings of victory though, as he registered that the ground was beginning to come up awfully fast.

Naruto quickly tied the protector around his hand, looking around for options with a hint of panic. No chakra – he couldn't stick himself to the cliff wall. Even if he was capable of breaking the suppression jutsu, it would take too long. All he had was a kunai in his belt, perhaps to climb back up the cliff with if he could get a hold...

There. A small outcropping in the cliff, almost directly below him. If he could grab onto it, he might be able to get some help...

Fuck. This was going to really, really, really, really, really, _really_ hurt. Naruto stretched his arms out, reaching desperately for the outcropping. Three seconds to impact. He was going too fast – his hands weren't going to be able to catch his weight properly.

Two. He prepared himself for the sickening crack of hearing his shoulders dislocate.

One. There was a high-pitched whine, and Naruto felt the sickening jolt of his organs hitting solid flesh as an arm circled around his waist. He jackknifed, bile stinging at the back of his throat, and shook his head fiercely to keep his vision from fading out.

Sasuke's grip was rough as he swung them both to the cliff wall, using the rope off what was presumably a grappling hook and his own chakra to pull them up, back to the ledge. His face was flushed from the exertion of Naruto's added weight, and Naruto himself was preoccupied with not succumbing to the white patches that were continually scrubbing parts of the world from his vision.

Slowly, the ground drew further and further away, and Sasuke eventually hauled them over the side of the ledge and lowered Naruto to the ground before sinking into a heap beside him. They lay there for a few minutes, ears filled with the sound of their shallow breathing and blood pounding at their temples.

Eventually Naruto sat up, feeling secure enough to uncurl his hand slightly. The sharp edges of the metal had cut into his palm, and he inhaled sharply as he peeled the protector off, watching blood well up in the vertical lines and run down his hand.

Sasuke stirred and moved onto his knees, breathing heavily.

Scowling, the blond turned towards him. "So-"

"Idiot!" A fist crashed into his face, and he flew onto his back once again. Then Sasuke was on top of him, fists flying. "Fucking _imbecile_!"

Naruto's eyes widened and he crossed his arms in front of his face to fend off the blows, kneeing the Uchiha in the stomach.

"What the hell- ouch, _fuck_- what's your problem?" he hissed, catching one of Sasuke's fists and holding it still.

Sasuke wrenched it away and twisted his hand into the fabric of Naruto's shirt. "You can't just... you..." His eyes narrowed. "Don't _do _things like that, moron!"

Naruto clenched the hitate-ai tightly, feeling blood smear over his hands. "Then don't throw my fucking stuff off cliffs, got it? You know this is important to me."

Sasuke's hand tightened. He was shaking. "What's _wrong _with you? It shouldn't be important enough to die for."

Naruto looked him dead in the eye. "Some things are worth saving."

And it was like they were now having a completely different conversation, because Naruto was suddenly very aware of the way Sasuke's knees were on either side of his thighs, and how surprise was a good look for him with the way it softened his face, and how the Uchiha's breath was ghosting over his own lips, warm and insistent. Heat coiled in the pit of his stomach, rapidly sinking downwards.

Sasuke's lips parted hesitantly as he stared at Naruto, eyes losing their hardened edge.

Unthinking, he raised his hand to curl into Sasuke's shirt. He wasn't sure why, or what would happen afterwards – but his plans always went like that, and they usually worked out for the best. Sasuke tensed when his palm brushed his chest, and Naruto realized that his hand was still slick with the blood from his cuts.

"Tch." Sasuke's face twisted, and he shoved himself off Naruto, standing. "That's what you get for being stupid. Try to think it through next time, if that's possible for you."

The blond pushed himself into an upright position and tied his prize around his forehead with trembling fingers.

"I would have caught myself, asshole. I'm not a jounin candidate for nothing, you know."

"You would have caught yourself with no chakra?" Sasuke's back was to him as he roughly yanked the grappling hook out of the cliff wall, still not completely under control.

"Well, who's fault is _that_?" Naruto sniped at him, feeling the tingle of adrenaline in his fingers begin to recede slightly. "And why do you care, anyways? You tried to kill me like ten minutes ago."

Sasuke didn't answer, and Naruto saw his hands shake as he began to wind the wire back onto its spool.

(_probably scared that i might die and ruin the ritual_)

"I'm calling Karin." Sasuke's chakra flared into an icy signal, his back still turned to Naruto. "You're in bad shape. Go with her and don't leave your room until you've recovered."

"I'm not done talking to you." There was too much undecided, still unspoken between them –

"Too bad."

Sasuke strode back into the fortress, and Naruto could have sworn that every injury throbbed more as he left.

_aaa_

"Why do you do this to yourself, Naruto?" Karin sighed, surveying her work with a critical eye.

Naruto glared at the ceiling. "He started it."

"He's an emotional retard," Suigetsu said from the corner. "You have to take the high road."

Karin laughed, adjusting the bandages on Naruto's hand slightly. "You've fought with him nonstop since we got here, Su. Hypocrite."

"That's different. We're teammates. It's what we're supposed to do."

"He's my teammate too," Naruto said stubbornly.

She rolled her eyes. "You're such _boys_. Not everything is solved by violence, you know."

Suigetsu burst into laughter while Naruto sputtered indignantly. "Who was the one telling me to go confront him, again?"

"I meant in some sort of mature way." She flicked his forehead with disapproval and tied off the final piece of linen. "There. Now _stop moving _and someday you might finally heal from all this."

Naruto grinned, but Suigetsu's laughter cut off, and he broke in quietly.

"_Someday _isn't an option for him, Karin."

There was a silence, and her fingers twisted in his blankets, bloodless. The blankets covering him felt very hot, but he didn't dare move as she sat for a moment, hair swinging down over her eyes. Then she stood, shoved her stool back, and left wordlessly, not looking at Suigetsu.

"I can't decide if you or Sasuke is the bigger asshole," Naruto remarked after her footsteps faded, looking sideways at him.

Suigetsu shrugged. "I just told the truth. Besides, I needed to talk to you alone."

"Yeah?" he asked with a disinterested flick of his eyes.

"Yeah, idiot." Suigetsu scooted closer to his bedside and leaned against the wall, tapping his fingers rapidly against his thigh. "I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to do this, but you keep getting into fights with him like a moron, so I'll spell it out for you."

Naruto scowled at the insult, but kept his mouth shut as Suigetsu went on.

"There's something I need to tell you about Konan. She's watching you."

"I know that. She doesn't like me."

"Idiot." Suigetsu looked over his shoulder almost nervously as quiet clicks sounded in the hallway. "I mean she's _watching _you and Sasuke. You'd better be careful."

"Why? It doesn't concern her-"

"It _does_. Look, it beats the fuck out of me how Akatsuki really works, but there's something about Madara and Pein-"

"Suigetsu," Konan said from the doorway.

His friend's face stiffened. "Hello, Konan."

"I'd like to talk to the Jinchuuriki alone."

"I'm sure you would." Suigetsu made no move to leave.

"Your protectiveness is somewhat amusing, but if you don't leave I'll forcibly remove you," Konan said in the same pleasant tone. Naruto's skin prickled as he felt the force of her chakra rising to the surface.

Suigetsu smiled tightly at the display. "Fine." He shoved himself off the wall and slowly swaggered out of the room, feet lingering as long as possibly. She closed the door after him and turned to regard Naruto, one finger tapping slowly at her lips.

After a minute of silence, his patience expired. "What do you want?"

"How's your recovery?" Her eyes were still, and betrayed nothing.

Naruto smiled guardedly. "It's good. Takes more then _Sasuke _to bring me down for long."

"Hm." She moved to his bedside and sat on the small stool there, watching him. Naruto traced the red clouds on her cloak with his eyes. They were far more faded than the Hawk ones – no doubt endless years of the elements had worn them to this washed-out pink, the color of diluted blood. Lines of neat stitches crossed the clouds in some places... it looked like she'd repaired it many times. He wondered why she hadn't just got a new one.

"I've been thinking about what you said," she announced, flicking her wrist. Part of the skin on her arm wrinkled and detached itself, and she quickly folded the paper in half.

The sheets felt like they were constricting him. Naruto kicked them off. "And?"

Konan's fingers flew in neat patterns, forming an intricately designed rose. Her face was turned down. "I believe firmly in God, and his plan. It won't fail."

Her hand rose as he opened his mouth. "But there's something I want to tell you."

She detached another piece of paper, concentrating on her lap. "We would have attacked your village to find you. Pein was beginning to plan it." She finished another flower and placed it on the small table beside his bed. "You saved a lot of your people by turning yourself in. It was the right thing to do. I thought you might like to know that."

Naruto turned his head to regard her steadily. "Konoha will resist your weapon. You'll have to fight them in the end." He looked towards the ceiling. "And I didn't come here to make your life easier."

"No. You came for the Uchiha, didn't you?"

When he blinked in surprise, she smiled. "I'm good at gathering information."

"So I see."

"I want to know why, though." Her fingers moved restlessly while she kept her eyes trained on him, folding the paper into intricate designs. "You must know by now that you won't leave this place alive."

His head ached. Naruto bit the inside of his cheek and shrugged, Suigetsu's hurried warning echoing around his head. "He's my friend. I have to try."

"Even after he does things like this to you?" She gestured to the long cut on his face, the dark bruises along his ribs.

"I gave as good as I got," he grinned, half-heartedly.

"So, you'll die for him." She was silent for a very long time after that, and Naruto watched his table fill with masterful paper creations – ships and butterflies and jagged daggers that twitched whenever her brow furrowed.

"I had a friend die for me once," she said quietly.

Naruto curbed his tongue (_someone wanted to die for _you_?_) and waited. Sometimes people just felt the need to talk.

Konan threaded a piece of paper between her fingers. "It was my fault."

"I'm sorry," he said, vaguely surprised to realize that he meant it. A burden of guilt that size would be hard to carry around... he would know, with Sasuke and that day on the bridge.

Her dusty eyes lifted to meet his. "So am I. Yahiko deserved much better. You remind me of him, actually. You even look alike."

Then, perhaps realizing she had said too much, Konan snapped her mouth shut and looked away. The paper daggers practically jumped with agitation.

"Oh." Naruto shifted uncomfortably, expecting her to sweep off in a cloud of bitterness.

But she stayed at his bedside, methodically folding paper until it she had to start placing it on the floor. Now that he'd seen her with actual expressions on her face, she didn't look quite as intimidating.

"Why are you working for Akatsuki anyways? You don't seem quite as..." He cast around for a word. "...vicious as the others."

"I believe in peace."

"Yeah, yeah, but the others don't. Come on, you know that at least one of them doesn't want the weapon just to make everyone get along. There's better ways to go around your stupid plan."

Konan pursed her lips. "Pein started the group. So I gladly joined."

"Just for him?"

"He's... mine. My person. My _only _person." She said simply. "I would die for him. Kill for him. You have no idea of the lengths I would go to, to make him happy. Or..." Something like empathy flickered in her eyes as she took in his ragged appearance. "Maybe you do."

Naruto tilted his head. "I guess we have something in common."

"Perhaps." The comment seemed to displease her, for her eyes became calculating once again. "You are not like the other Jinchuuriki."

His temper flared hot under his skin. "I'm _exactly_ like them," he snarled at her. "I live and breathe and love and hate and cry and laugh and hope for better things. I'm human, aren't I?"

Konan's face pinched, and she started to turn away. Naruto reached out and grabbed her arm, noting how cold it was, not caring that the entire room seemed to rustle in warning. "Do I feel different to you?"

She jerked away, teeth clenched. "It's no use denying what's inside you, fox."

"I'm more than a fucking container!" Naruto swung his legs out of bed and stood, ignoring the warning twinges of his muscles. He bit his thumb and held it out to her as the blood welled up from the neat cut and trickled into his palm.

"See that? I bleed the same color as you."

"So will a pig, if you slit its throat." Konan's composure was shaking, though, and she backed slowly towards the door.

"You're just grasping at straws now." He pressed forward. "It's kind of unnerving to see that the people you're butchering have lives too, isn't it?"

He backed her into the door, where she stood, looking resolutely away. "I know what your devotion to Pein is like, because I feel exactly the same way for someone else. Reconcile _that _with what you know about the Kyuubi."

"Why are you doing this?" Her voice shook, and she stared at the opposite wall.

"Because I'm on your side!" he said, frustrated. "I want peace just as much as you do! But there are better ways of doing it, Konan!"

At his use of her name, she closed her eyes.

"You can't frighten people into it – you can't take the easy way out. You have to make it _work_, in a way that suits everyone. But it's possible! Changing this world is possible!"

She was shaking, and suddenly she wasn't Akatsuki – with flushed cheeks and agony on her face, she could have been a girl after a bad break-up, a woman mourning her husband, Sakura begging him to _bring him back to me, Naruto_... he reached out to take her arm again, gently. "Konan?"

She shuddered at the contact, eyes flying open. "Yahiko, please_..._"

They both froze at the words. Konan's eyes grew extremely bright, and she swallowed once before ripping out of his grasp. He took a step towards her, unsure.

"Konan..."

"Don't." She put up a hand to ward him away, voice cracking. "Just... just stay away from me. I understand. You're human. But don't... don't... I should drug you now, so that this doesn't..."

He stood there awkwardly. "I'm sorry."

Konan stared at him again, then took a deep breath and drew herself up. "So am I."

The door nearly came off its hinges when she slammed it behind her, leaving Naruto with dozens of paper shrines that were suddenly lifeless.

_aaa_

To his pleasant surprise, Team Hawk actually moved into his room night to eat. The pleasure was short-lived, however, as he saw in the angry lines of everyone's shoulders which way the evening was going to go. Suigetsu was only on speaking terms with Naruto and Juugo, but seemed determined to aggravate things even further.

"So, how was your day, Sasuke?" His pointy grin was exaggerated to almost comic proportions. "Beat up any other defenseless prisoners?"

This was normally the point where Karin would snap at him to shut up, but she just examined her meal intently, like Juugo. Naruto saw Sasuke's eyes rest on her briefly, calculating, then flick up to meet his own.

"I would hardly call him defenseless, Suigetsu," he said tonelessly, and took a dainty bite of food. This was a source of never-ending amusement to Naruto – how, despite his abandonment of every other ideal of his clan and village, Sasuke had somehow managed to retain perfect table manners.

"No, see, seriously fighting someone who's had their chakra restrained is considered pretty unfair, Sasuke. Barbaric, even." Suigetsu's smile was razor-sharp, and Juugo looked around the circle warily.

Again, Sasuke's eyes flickered to Karin, Juugo. When nobody said anything, he set his mouth.

"Barbarism is more along your alley, Suigetsu. Most people would argue that killing children is also unfair."

There was a sharp intake of breath from both Karin and Suigetsu, and Naruto tensed in anger. Both of them were just playing a stupid game, unmindful of how much those words could hurt. The air almost buzzed with gathering chakra.

"Actually, it was my fault," he said with forced cheer, drawing all of their eyes. "Sasuke was gone for too long, and I forgot how annoying he could be. It's easier to get under someone's skin when you haven't seen them for a while. Kinda lost my head."

Juugo shot a warning glance at Suigetsu as Sasuke's dark eyes bored into him, voice flat. "I'm annoying."

"Yes."

"_I'm_ annoying."

He could feel Juugo tensing beside him, no doubt preparing for the possibility of imminent slaughter.

"Yes."

Sasuke set his chopsticks down carefully, and laughed – a low, rusty chuckle that echoed around the room and sent a warm tingle down Naruto's back. He stood and began heading for the door, smirking at Naruto.

"You," he said, "obviously have no idea how many times I've nearly killed you over the last three weeks."

Naruto grinned back at him.

"Like you could. I'd kick your ass into next _year_ if I had my chakra."

"Keep dreaming, loser." The door clicked shut behind him, and there was a heavy silence as his footsteps faded into the distance. Naruto turned to see the other three frozen in their positions. Suigetsu's mouth was hanging open.

"He laughed. Sasuke laughed." The white-haired shinobi continued to stare at Naruto. "Sasuke _never _laughs."

Juugo had a quiet smile on his face. "He's allowed to do it once in a while, Su. He's only human, after all."

Karin continued to eat silently, fingers white as she clenched her chopsticks in her fist.

_aaa_

"Things will come to a head between them eventually," Juugo warned as he and Naruto collected the dishes. "You can't come between them forever."

"That's fine, as long as it's after we're out of here."

Juugo examined a crack in his bowl, rubbing it with his finger. "I'm worried about Su. Something's scared him, and that's the most dangerous emotion for him, I think. It provokes him, makes him feel trapped. You can see it when he fights – if he gets surrounded he goes absolutely berserk. We don't want that happening here."

"You're right." Naruto bit his lip. "What should we do?"

Juugo sighed and stacked all the bowls. "Try to keep him under control until either you convince Sasuke and we escape, or the ritual happens. I'll talk to him, try to stop him from doing something stupid."

"You could always mention how it might be dangerous to Karin," Naruto muttered, feeling guilty about using such information.

Juugo's lips drew up. "Funny, he did the exact same thing to me."

Naruto nearly tripped over his own feet. "You don't... I mean... y-you and Karin?"

The big man stared at him for a second, uncomprehending, then laughed quietly. "No, no, he's more than welcome to her if she's ever willing. Besides, I will never..." His mirth disappeared instantly, and he turned away. "Never. Not with anyone. Not safe for them. You saw that in the woods."

He didn't respond to anything after that, and Naruto touched his shoulder gently before slipping away, shaken.

_aaa_

"I thought you might be here." Naruto felt graceless and awkward as he sat down a few feet away from Sasuke, leaning against the ruined cliff. The plateau still bore scars from their fight – deep gouges in the ground near the edge and scattered debris that had rained down on them.

Sasuke acknowledged his presence with a slight dip of the shoulder, and continued staring out over the lake.

Taking the lack of Chidori an invitation to sit, Naruto lowered himself to the ground and drew one knee up to his chin as the wind lifted. After a minute devoid of sound except for the distant rush of the lake, he chanced a look sideways at Sasuke. The angles of his face were softened by the setting glow of the sky, and for once he didn't seem angry or bitter or irritated – his eyes were closed and his head tilted back slightly, exposing his neck to the dying rays of the sun. Naruto allowed his gaze to drift over the delicate curve of his collarbone.

"Don't look at me like that."

Naruto's eyes rose to meet an intense stare. He looked away quickly, electric embarrassment spiking through his fingers as Sasuke watched him. "Like what?"

"Like I didn't bring you here to kill you."

"I told you, Sasuke." Naruto shrugged, tired of repeating himself. "You can't make me hate you."

Sasuke's mouth drew down a tiny bit, muscles coiling in hostility. "And I told you. That's not going to stop me."

The sunset was washing the sky in red again, and Naruto resisted the urge the kick something. This was turning into one big inconclusive cycle, some sort of dysfunctional vortex that was going to end up with them both dead of their own weaknesses.

"Look," he said tiredly, tapping his fingers against the ground. "I didn't come out here to fight with you again, Sasuke. Honest. I just... you have to understand why I can't leave you alone, right? To actually have the chance to talk to you, be near you..." Naruto looked up. Sasuke was very still. "I can't lose you again. I won't. I don't care if that makes me weak, or stupid, or a liability. I'll do anything to bring you back."

"We've been over this, Naruto. I won't give you what you want, and you can't give me what _I _want." Sasuke kicked his heel against the side of the cliff, watched pebbles tumble down into the growing darkness. "We shouldn't be having any contact at all. It will just make things worse." He sighed, tresses of dark hair whipping across his face.

"I can't give you your revenge, Sasuke. And I wouldn't even if I could, not when it's against Konoha. But I could guarantee you justice for your family. And I think... maybe I could help you be happy." Sasuke's blank eyes turned on him again, and he flushed. "I mean... that's... well, you have people who care for you a lot in Konoha. We could help. Sure, it would be kind of hard. I know that we fight a lot, and Sakura used to annoy you, and Kakashi is kind of scared of the idea of being a parental figure, but... families irritate each other too sometimes, don't they? But they're still happy. I'm not saying that we could ever replace what you lost... but it wouldn't be so bad. I know that none of us are happy without you. Wouldn't that be better than killing some old bastards and then having everyone against you?"

His voice got quieter at the end of his rambling. He wasn't even sure Sasuke was listening anymore – his was staring at some far off point on the horizon, eyes dull as the sun dipped into the lake.

"This is so typical of you," Sasuke said eventually, glaring at the landscape in front of them. "Wrecking _everything_."

"Huh?"

"Konan is already on my back, and Pein is just waiting for me to make a mistake. Juugo won't talk to me, Suigetsu is going completely off the rails and I can already see Karin heading the same way. My team is falling apart in front of my eyes. Everything is going off plan. And it's all because of _you._" Sasuke's face was stormy, gathering twilight underscoring the frustration in his eyes. "You always do this. You change things, turn everything upside down."

Naruto opened his mouth, and closed it again quietly. There wasn't a lot to say to that. He wasn't sorry. In fact, he wasn't even completely sure what Sasuke was talking about.

Sasuke scowled at his silence and stood, heading for the door. "Tch. Never mind, moron."

No. Not again. Naruto was up in a flash, tugging at his arm. "Sasuke, stop."

He dodged the inevitable punch easily, and frowned – it was not Sasuke's normal attack, precise and secure. This was wild, unplanned, a sudden burst of emotion. The Uchiha whirled and threw another one, grazing his jaw.

"Why do you have to make things so hard, huh, Naruto?" A kick this time, one he was barely fast enough to avoid. "Why are you so fucking determined to bring me back?"

Naruto caught his next punch, holding his arm so that he couldn't move. "I told you before, didn't I?" He smiled. "Some things are worth saving."

"_Not me_," Sasuke said ferociously, trying to wrench away. Naruto dug his fingers into his arm.

"What gives you the right to decide that, huh?"

Sasuke pivoted to face him, eyes narrow. "No, what gives _you _the right, Naruto, to barge back into my life? I didn't want you here. I _never _wanted you here. I never told you to bring me back. I never told you to care. Everything was _fine_. I was fine, until you came along. You're always, always, _always _in the goddamn way of _everything_! Sticking your fucking nose where it doesn't belong. Seeing things you shouldn't. Being stupid. Inconsiderate."

His sentences were fast and chopped, barely understandable beneath the choking intensity of his voice. "What do you think it was like to see you jump off that cliff, moron? Or stay here to die after I told you to get out? Or watch you get yourself beat up, over and over and fucking _over_ _again _ in some sort of crusade that you're never going to win? Some things _are _worth saving, idiot, so why didn't you rescue yourself when you had the chance?"

"You know exactly why," Naruto said softly, lightening his hold on Sasuke's arm until they were barely touching, but still connected.

Sasuke was breathing heavily, face dark and twisted with confusion, but slowly relaxed under his grip. They stood there for a second, linked yet distinctly separate, neither willing to move forward or back. But the faintest light of the early stars made Sasuke's skin translucent, and again Naruto's eyes were drawn to the creamy hollow of his collarbone, and the soft web of blue veins that danced beneath its surface.

It was a mistake, he knew, even as his hand reached up and lightly explored the dip in the bone.

The onyx eyes watching him widened, and he could feel his blood singing just below his skin. Touching Sasuke never got old – even if Naruto _hadn't_ shivered every time they brushed or felt his stomach turn upside down when he came too close, there was always the hot rush of adrenaline that came from not knowing if he would return the gesture or put your head through a wall.

Sasuke did neither this time. Something loosened within him – his next breath came in a heavy rush, and he leaned his forehead against Naruto's, eyes closed.

"You shouldn't have tried saving me," he said quietly. But he didn't move as Naruto slowly, hardly daring to believe this was happening, slid his hands to clasp loosely behind Sasuke's neck, brushing the ends of his hair, fingertips skimming the surface of his porcelain skin. Sasuke's breath was light against his face, fluttering occasionally as it hitched.

"You didn't give me much of a choice, you know," Naruto said, fingers tracing the line of his shoulders. The emerging moon only made everything seem more surreal, and when Sasuke's hands moved up to lightly rest on the sides of his ribs, the touch seemed dream-like, ethereal.

"I want you to stay alive." Sasuke's hands trailed down his sides cautiously, deliberately, causing Naruto's stomach to tighten as they reached his hips and brushed along the seam between his shirt and skin. His fingers left lines of heat that infused through his body, spreading to his extremities and demanding more.

There were a lot of things he wanted to say to that – stupid, cheesy things that made his face burn just thinking them. _Sure, I'd be alive... but_ _I don't think I could really live without you. I don't _want _to live without you. _As Sasuke's fingers began to creep up over his stomach muscles, Naruto curved his hand around the back of his head and slowly, agonizingly slowly, ready to evade whatever attack might be launched at him, brushed his lips against Sasuke's, eyes unwavering against his.

The effect was immediate. Sasuke drew back, beautiful face bright and serious under the moonlight, fingertips sliding over the jut of his hips before dropping away. Naruto's heart plummeted a hundred miles through the floor as he realized what he'd done – create another barrier, one that he was never going to be able to get through again. A sickening clench of his stomach told him to run, _run_, escape that magnetic gaze that was holding him to the spot, had been holding him ever since that day on the bridge, all those years ago. Still, he was unable to keep his eyes off Sasuke, who was examining him intensely, looking for all the world like he had no idea what to do.

Then his jaw set, like it always did when he made a decision, and Naruto found himself pushed back against the wall. For a moment he registered a sky of blazing stars, before Sasuke's hands buried in his hair and lips pressed fiercely across his own.

It wasn't perfect. The rocks of the cliff clashed with his vertebrae like mismatched puzzle pieces, the solid weight of Sasuke's body molding against his accentuated every injury he had received in the past few weeks, and it was quite obvious that of them had the slightest clue what they were doing. But it was all worth it for the plush texture of Sasuke's lips smooth against his own, Sasuke's tongue cataloging the seams of his mouth, Sasuke's hands trailing fire across his jaw, hips, spine as they explored desperately, Sasuke Sasuke _Sasuke – _

Sasuke's muscles clenched suddenly and he broke the kiss, turning his head to the side. There was a slight sound, leather against stone, and he began to disentangled himself from Naruto, whose eyes widened in understanding. It was too late.

"...ke! Sasuke! He's-" Suigetsu burst through the plateau door, out of breath and wired with nervous energy, but quickly fell silent as he looked at them, pale eyes narrow. Sasuke's face hardened and he drew away, leaving the chilled wind from the lake to attack Naruto's body where he had shielded him from it.

"What?"

Suigetsu didn't say anything, and Naruto suddenly felt far colder than the night should have allowed as he felt those calculating eyes on the tangled mess of his hair and flush of his cheeks.

Sasuke took another step towards the door, while Naruto resisted the urge to rub his mouth. His lips were swollen and full.

"_What_, Suigetsu?"

The white-haired shinobi looked languidly over to the Uchiha, still with a strange, victorious expression on his face. "You'd do best to keep your hands off each other for now," he said dryly.

Naruto clenched his fists.

"Out with it." Sasuke's voice was casual, but Naruto could see emotion barely contained in the rigid brace of his spine, the tense immobility of his shoulders.

Suigetsu smiled, showing rows of pointed teeth. "Madara's back."

* * *

**Ugh, fail chapter is fail. Next one will be better, promise. **

**Well, until next time... hopefully it won't take as long for the next update. thanks for reading, and hope everything's well on your end :)  
**


	9. Disintegration

**Title: **Daybreak**  
Chapter Title: **Disintegration **  
Summary: **_Red clouds, take warning... bloodshed by morning_. Akatsuki cloaks foretell nothing but disaster and misery, but even captured and severely injured, Naruto realizes there is no choice but to face them when he sees just who has joined their ranks.**  
Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within, to my regret. Many thanks to the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto.

**Author's Note: **This fic is over a year old at this point o.O. Wow. Thanks to everyone who's read, alerted, and reviewed! I'm a slow updater but I can promise that this will be finished before its two year anniversary. I'm actually really excited – the next chapter is halfway done, which is unheard of for me, and then it's onto the parts of the story that I've been waiting literally fourteen months to write.

On a side note: it's really annoying when you have something planned for a character, and then the manga comes out with something that completely and utterly contradicts it. But oh well - that's what fic is for, right?

Thanks again to **Strangeblossom**, **Mistress Sundrop**, **droptheice**, **Panther** **Fire**, **Trueheartsglow**, **Extreme** **Kiwi**, **Darkmoon** **Fleur**, **Piper Julian**, and **elveljung**!

* * *

**Daybreak**

**Chapter 9: Disintegration**

The first thing about Madara that struck Naruto was that standing before him was quite possibly the most powerful being he had ever seen. Power suited a lot of people that Naruto knew – the dark, sweet pulse of Sakura's bloody chakra had sent him reeling backwards sometimes when they sparred; Sai's fluid movements often left imprints on his closed eyelids; the ripple of Juugo's muscles tore apart entire landscapes. This was on a whole different level – when the door was shut behind them and he found himself under the gaze of the cloaked figure, the very marrow of his bones tingled under the gaze of that serious, terrible eye. Even though everyone was in the room, the cold examination of the Sharingan made him feel more isolated than ever before.

"Naruto." Madara's voice was pleasant and spoke nothing of their history. They had met before, of course, but as Tobi and a Naruto not quite so bitterly acquainted with failure. The following months had made them leaner, more driven, and much more dangerous. "I'm glad you could join us."

His breath sounded artificial as it escaped his mask, the whistling of the wind through barren rocks. No one else moved, even Konan, and it took Naruto a moment to place the hot nausea in his stomach as fear. All traces of the man he had met before – bumbling, scatterbrained – were gone, replaced by a intelligence that gleamed maliciously in his gaze.

"Playing the gracious host doesn't suit you, Madara," he felt himself say. He twisted his bound hands together behind his back in an attempt to remain still.

"No? Well, I play many roles. One will undoubtedly suit both our tastes," his opponent replied in a bored tone before looking at Sasuke. "Morose as always, Sasuke. But I must congratulate you on bringing him here."

Sasuke nodded, eyes cast on the far wall, and Madara strode forward, hand outstretched. Naruto flinched away, but found his chin captured in an iron grip. Like Konan had, Madara tilted Naruto's head back, checking each side of his face. The rasp of his fingers over his face, tight enough to caress his bones, made Naruto's skin crawl. Up close, he could smell the man – a heavy septic scent, and beneath it, a cloying sweetness, like an apple on the verge of decay. In the pit of his mind, the Kyuubi quivered.

"You've been rough on him," the Uchiha noted. "Unnecessary, but good."

Naruto, unable to stand the _wrongness _of his grasp, tried to twist his face out of his hand. Madara's fingers tightened, and Naruto snarled at him.

"Still, he's got some fire left." He sounded amused. "You've done well, Sasuke, above and beyond the call of duty, even if he is from Konoha. There's not really a need to keep him conscious, though." As Madara spoke, his voice oddly probing, Konan shifted her weight, staring at the floor, and Sasuke said nothing.

"He's better sport awake," Suigetsu said after a moment with a feral grin, but his hands were clasped bloodless behind his back and Naruto doubted that Madara believed him. He felt lightheaded, everything tinted a dark pink as the Kyuubi's panic rose within him, and he pushed himself off the ground.

(He wants to see both of you_, suigetsu had said, but his grin had disappeared in the moment of silence after, when sasuke had been too off-guard to hide the panic in his eyes, and all of the light that naruto had felt spread through his limbs during their kiss was extinguished. _

I know. _sasuke walked past suigetsu with stiff movements, leaving the other shinobi to shrug and beckon to naruto awkwardly. naruto had walked side by side with him numbly, a series of emotions blindsiding him in flashes until he was too raw to feel anything at all._

_it had been suigetsu who had patted his shoulder before they bound his hands and entered the room._

_sasuke_ _had not looked at him once._)

"Really." Madara stared down as Naruto struggled back onto his feet. "Well, as long as he's awake, I'll check that the beast is in order."

There was a familiar blur, a slight shift of chakra as Madara's visible eye spun into the Sharingan, and then blinding agony burnt the pink tint to red as a chakra alien and bitter against his own stabbed against his mind, over and over, carving out a pathway down to the deepest dungeon of his consciousness.

_It's been a while, Kyuubi. _It was like someone was spinning him – he caught only flashes of frantic images. _Flash_ - Madara's lithe form sinister against the hostile glow of the fox. _Flash_ – a coil of dark chakra winding out and striking a massive claw away.

_**Madara. **Flash_ - the Kyuubi lunging against its cage, the screech of the bar's protest._** The world could disintegrate from age and it would still not be long enough. Get out of here, abomination!**_

_Touchy. _Madara sounded amused, and Naruto opened his mouth to speak, only to be assaulted again by a crushing wall of agony. Dimly he could feel his knees collapsing, but it seemed far away, on the surface of another planet. There was only here, and now, and the silky texture of Madara's voice echoing off the corridors of his mind.

_I won't take up too much of your time. There's merely something I wish to do. _

Through eyes swimming with pain, Naruto saw Madara's hands move (_flash_) in a sealing pattern. He reached through the bars of the cage, brushing the Kyuubi's face as it snapped at him, eyes bloodshot and enraged.

_**You loathsome Uchiha, **_the Kyuubi roared as a black lines erupted across its jaw, meeting in the precise pattern of a seal. Its teeth latched onto Madara's arm, only to pass through it like smoke.** _I curse your bloodline from here to the afterlife._**

_Too late. I already sent most of them there myself, _Madara noted. _Pleasant to see you again, as always._

The vice-grip around his chakra vanished. Naruto blinked to find himself half-supported by Juugo, knees brushing the ground. The Kyuubi had been contained – all his chakra had sunk deep beneath the surface of his mind. Madara was laughing.

"Of all the tailed beasts, that one is the easiest to control. His temper makes him all the more vulnerable to the Sharingan. The things I could have done, had the Fourth not sealed him." He sounded regretful for a moment, then shook his head, and Juugo's fingers clenched painfully into Naruto's shoulder. "No matter. We'll have the weapon soon enough."

Sasuke looked rigid. "Is that all you wanted?"

"We need to discuss the assault on Konoha. They seem to have upgraded their security level. Some wisp of our plan must have made it over there."

Naruto grinned savagely. (_finally, something went right_)

"We're not weak enough to be destroyed by your lies and insanity."

A chuckle. "You think I'm lying?" The mask hid Madara's expression, but the corner of his visible eye curved upwards in an obvious grin. "My, my, we are naïve, aren't we?"

_(less than you think. i'm pretty sure you're not lying, but that doesn't make you less insane_)

Naruto glared up at him. "Your plan won't work, Madara, whatever it really is. You're nothing but a bitter old man who can't see past himself anymore, and everyone will see straight through it."

Madara was still for a moment. Then his eye curved up again in a smile, bearing an eerie resemblance to Kakashi. "You know, you look just like your father," he said, and Naruto's limbs were sluggish in shock, too weak to break past Juugo's restraint. "That will make sealing you twice as entertaining."

Naruto spat at him. Summer days spent competing with Kiba over the title of Saliva Champion had honed his aim, and he got the man right in the eye, even with the sharp fog of anger blurring his vision.

He heard a quiet curse from Juugo behind him as Madara's hand came up in surprise, powerful eye closing for just a second. Then he launched himself forward, pulling free of Juugo's fingers, fists bound but leg arcing up in a kick that should have shattered that fucking mask into nothing. Instead, Madara flickered with the torchlight, and Naruto found himself stumbling through his outline, own momentum conspiring with gravity to tumble him to the floor.

The retaliation kick came as a surprise, catching him at the top of his spine and bringing tears of pain to his eyes as his back curved at an unnatural angle. Naruto tugged at his bindings, scrabbling for the Kyuubi and finding the chakra slipping away under her fingertips.

"Actually, you sound like him too." Madara sounded thoughtful, and while Naruto managed to avoid getting his head kicked, he was pretty sure he could feel cracks spiderweb across his collarbone as Madara's boot thudded into his chest. "Now, I freely admit I'm not perfect, but the self-righteous idealism that both of you have is a quality I despise. There is nothing quite as irritating as being preached to."

The next kick caught him in the ribs, and hurt all the more because nothing at all had changed in Madara's voice – they might as well be discussing the weather. His body was rebelling, lungs refusing to take in air, voice withered to nothing as he choked.

"Take my plan. Yes, people will die. Yes, I will likely be hated for decades. Yes, Konoha will be a smoking crater in the ground. I have no illusions about that. And everyone who takes part of my plan have none either. I laid out the bare facts, and they chose to participate."

Naruto rolled out of the way of the next kick, head snapping up to snarl at Madara. For the briefest moment, he caught Sasuke's eye. His friend was rooted to the spot, pupils dilated in the low light.

(_why aren't you doing anything?_)

Goddamn it if he was going to curl up into a ball like a scared child. As Madara's foot swung back again, Naruto drew up one of his legs and lashed at his kneecap, hoping to topple him. Graceful as a dancer, Madara pirouetted out of the way. The hair on his arms rose as he felt a surge of chakra in the man, and he instinctively knew that the next blow would be the knockout one. He braced himself as well as he could against the ground, preparing to rock back and lessen the impact. But nothing came, and after a tense moment he looked up.

Madara's Sharingan had spun into a warped version of the Mangekyou, and before he could curse himself for being so careless he was drawn into their magnetic gaze, struggling against the pull that he knew would subject him to days of torture in just a few moments...

"That's enough." Sasuke's voice echoed, and he stepped swiftly between them. Naruto coughed blood onto the ground, catching glimpses of Sasuke's sandals and Madara's eye between spasms. There was a tense moment of silence as the two Uchihas stared each other down. Sasuke remained in front of Naruto, stance wide.

"I can explain," Sasuke added quietly after Madara's gaze did not waver.

"I think that would be wise," Madara said, turning his head to regard them both, and Naruto shivered. The man's voice was like a blade – sheathed with a gauze of amusement and irony, but ready to cut through at any time. "But not here. We have many things to discuss, Sasuke. Come with me."

Tension rippled through Sasuke's shoulders, but he nodded stiffly. "Karin, let's go."

She followed him without a word, and with a final glance at the group, Konan swept out after them. Suigetsu speared one of her spies that rustled in the following silence.

"They shouldn't use her for that sort of thing," he said, ripping the paper bird with far more force than necessary.

"Karin? Why do they need her?" Naruto wiped his mouth, staring through the empty doorway. His heart pounded wildly against his chest, a staccato beat that synchronized with the stabs of pain prickling up and down his torso.

Juugo crossed the room in two strides, first helping him to his feet, then turning his attention to the huge bulk of the Hachibi's vessel, unconscious and battered on the floor. "Madara's injured. I don't know if you could tell, but he was nowhere near healthy."

"Coulda fooled me." Naruto rubbed his chest, fingers cataloging the stress of each bone.

"It must have been one hell of a fight. He'll want her healing capabilities." Juugo checked the Jincuuriki's pulse, fingers looking small against the massive expanse of the man's throat.

"He didn't teleport in, either, like he normally does," Suigetsu said from the corner. "Must be low on his chakra, which is some nasty shit, by the way, and why Karin shouldn't heal him. She'll come out feeling sick." His sharpened teeth gleamed as he flashed an ugly smile at Naruto. "I hope the Hachibi got a few good shots in at him."

"Either way, it's good for us," Juugo said. "He'll need a while to replenish, and Pain is still on his way, so they won't be doing the ritual today."

"Or for the next few, actually. I'd guess there's a week if we're really lucky."

Juugo nodded and looked like he wanted to say something, but flicked his eyes to Suigetsu and then walked to the door. "I'll go make sure Konan's not interfering."

"What about him?" Naruto knelt next to the Hachibi and touched his temple. The man was awe-inspiringly huge, with arms nearly as thick around as Naruto himself, a shock of shining gray hair that spoke of vitality even into his middle age, and dark skin that fairly glowed in the light. Trickles of blood carved tracks through the grime on his face, and Naruto set about cleaning it with his sleeve, revealing a noble visage well worn with laugh lines.

(_it will be okay, brother. i'll make it okay_)

"Is Karin going to heal him as well?" he asked.

Juugo and Suigetsu shared a look, Juugo's fingers drumming against the door frame. The white-haired shinobi sighed and shook his head. "No."

"Why not?" Naruto demanded

"There's no need. He won't be waking up again," Juugo said shortly, and closed the door behind him.

_aaa_

Naruto set about cleaning up the Hachibi as best he could – it burned that he did not even know the man's name – and battled a slow, bubbling anger with every injury he tried to clean out. There weren't even that many, adding to his suspicion that some sort of genjutsu had been used, but there was an odd stiffness to his body, and in one place his arm had been laid open to the bone, although it looked like Madara had cauterized it brutally, causing patches of welts all the way up to his shoulder. Rage at the injuries, combined with a light-headed nausea at the knowledge that this could have been him, made his hands shake.

Suigetsu said nothing throughout the procedure and did not offer to help, which only pissed Naruto off even more. The shinobi had silently turned his eyes onto him after Juugo left, and he ignored the accusing stare as long as he could.

"What?"

"I totally called it." Suigetsu's canines glinted.

It took a second for Naruto to realize what he was talking about – was it really only a few hours ago he had wound his arms around Sasuke's neck under the stars? – and frown. "Shut up."

"You're so predictable," his friend drawled, completely ignoring him. "I wish I'd taken bets with someone. I could have made a fortune off Karin."

Naruto was not in the mood. "It's not funny, Su."

Suigetsu's eyes were clear and cold. "You're right. It's not. A week ago I might have found the whole thing hilarious, but not today. What are you playing at?"

"What am _I _playing at?" Naruto turned to him in disbelief. "What's going on with _you_, spying for Konan?"

Two splotches of pink flared high on Suigetsu's cheekbones. "I haven't said _anything_ to her," he hissed. "All I've been doing since I got here has been covering for you, although the gods know why, since all you seem to be interested in is getting some tail from Sasuke-"

Naruto's fist connected directly with his face, sinking in with a slight sucking sound as water splashed to the floor and Suigetsu stepped back, features reforming. He looked surprised, but the expression quickly gave way to a taunting grin. "Oh, did that hit a nerve?"

Naruto took another swing at him, and Suigetsu dodged it, smile melting away again. "Naruto, there's no way you're going to be able to damage me. Your body is barely holding itself together, and you're not the one I'm looking to fight."

But Suigetsu's tone had only reminded him of Madara, and Naruto could barely keep the two of them apart in his mind as he lashed out the way he could not when the Uchiha had attacked him, when Sasuke had stood for _minutes _before interfering, when Juugo brought him down again and again, arms swinging out over and over as Suigetsu dodged.

"You..." Suigetsu leaned backwards, Naruto's fist splitting the air above him. "...asshole!"

"Naruto..." The warning could not have been more clear, but Naruto ignored it, a blind fury raging through his limbs.

"You sit there with a stupid smile on your face while you plan on betraying the rest of us-"

Suigetsu's face darkened, and Naruto only had time to blink before he was crashing into the wall, warm liquid trickling down from his nose where the other shinobi had hit him.

"That's enough. Who exactly are you angry with, Naruto?" Suigetsu spread his hands, blood dripping from his knuckles. "Because I'm pretty sure it's not really me."

Chill seeped into his legs from the floor, and Naruto held his sleeve up to his nose, closing his eyes. He let his head throb for a minute, losing himself in the white pulse of pain.

"Everyone," he said eventually, tasting blood. It was a familiar tang by now. "Everyone."

Suigetsu hesitated for a moment, and nodded. "Alright."

"I feel..." Naruto clenched his fists, felt a fresh surge of blood trickle out from his nose. "Powerless. I can't fucking stand it."

Suigetsu looked uncomfortable, and pulled out a bandage, handing it over wordlessly.

Naruto held it to his face, and asked quietly, "What are you going to tell Konan about me and Sasuke?"

Suigetsu tiled his face to the ceiling, mouth twisted. "All gloating aside, probably nothing. I thought you thought better of me, actually. I'm not used to all your touchy-feely bullshit, but I kind of thought we were friends. It would take a lot to make me betray the team. And you."

(_i'm too tired for this_)

"All you've been doing is sending mixed signals for the past week. I'd like to think you're on my side, but I really don't know, Su. It seems like you're never on anybody's side. Except Karin's."

"Well, you're not completely locked up, are you? Kind of thought that might have tipped you off." Suigetsu shifted his weight and looked down. After a moment he had composed himself and raised his eyes, face stretched into a thin smile. "Well, believe what you want."

"No, it's okay." Naruto balled the bandage up in his fist. "I believe you."

Suigetsu's facade of a smile melted into something that seemed genuine. A moment of silence passed. "I think I'm going to miss you, actually," he offered.

"Miss me?"

"You know, when they..." Suigetsu made a slicing motion across his throat. Naruto glared at him.

"Sasuke won't let it happen."

Suigetsu's eyes softened into an expression normally alien to his face, and with a sickened jolt, Naruto realized that he was being pitied.

"Look," Suigetsu sighed. "Did you think that just because he kissed you he was going to change his mind?"

Naruto looked away, and Suigetsu sighed. "It doesn't work like that. If he'd wanted to help you escape, he would have gathered us all together and left as soon as he heard Madara came back. Instead, he took you right you to him. I don't want to be the messenger, but the chances of you getting out now are really slim, Naruto. Either Sasuke's got the worst case of can't-make-his-fucking-mind-up that I've ever seen – which is possible, I guess, he _has _been weirder than normal lately – or he's gonna go through with the Akatsuki deal."

Suigetsu glanced at the door as if to reassure himself it was still shut. "And even if he's undecided... he's been talking to Madara for a while now. I wouldn't be hopeful. I don't really know what his feelings are for you, although I've gotta say I wasn't surprised to walk in on you two licking each other, but Madara's got the trump card. You know how Sasuke is about his family."

Naruto nodded slowly, digesting the words between waves of pain. "I do know."

Suigetsu stood, and held out his hand. "I just don't want to give you false hope."

"It's not false." Naruto waved the hand away, exhaustion sucking at his limbs. "I'm going to stay here for a while."

"Okay." Suigetsu's arm wavered, and he jammed his hand back into his pocket. "I'll, uh, get Karin to come see if she can patch you up. Believe me when I say you shouldn't get into any more fights. You look like a sadomasochist's wet dream."

_aaa_

Karin did not come to see him. Nobody did.

Naruto spent the day alternatively staring at his feet and gradually tearing up his shirt to make new bandages for himself and the Hachibi as they soaked through with blood over a period of hours. At one point he stumbled down to his room to grab his blanket, which was too small to cover the other man's chest, let alone his entire body, but it was better than nothing. He didn't dare leave the Hachibi alone otherwise in case someone took him away, and was too weak to move him to a more comfortable room. He was tired, furious, and relatively sure that one of his ribs was broken.

His lips were still tender as well, and every once in a while he would catch his fingers running along them, trying to recapture the feel of Sasuke. Heat would spread through him, and he would yank his hand away, ashamed to find his mind returning over and over again to that moment while another person lay dying across from him. Occasionally the Hachibi would make a soft sound, and Naruto would kneel beside him and talk quietly, but the man showed no signs of regaining consciousness, and his wound began to take on a dry, crusty appearance that reminded Naruto of the cracks in the ground during a drought.

The strange sense of purgatory was broken when Konan appeared in the doorway. She drew in a sharp breath when she saw him.

"Yet another place you're not meant to be."

Naruto shrugged. "I wanted to make sure he was okay."

Her body was completely rigid, like she was afraid to relax even for an instant. "I see. Well, it's my responsibility now. Stand back."

"No." With a grunt of pain, Naruto heaved himself up on his feet, placing himself in front of the unconscious man.

She sighed. "There's only one way this will end. I _will_ hurt you if you don't move, Naruto."

"Will you really, Konan?"

Konan's eyes flashed displeasure, and she raised her hand. A thick rope of paper spun out of her sleeves, picking up Naruto as if he were a doll and slamming him into the wall. "My allegiance is still to Pein. This is his property now."

"He's human, too," Naruto growled at her, bones protesting as he pushed himself off the wall. There was no way he could physically resist her in this state, but still... "Don't forget that."

She frowned, but flicked her hand, and the paper that had been cocooning the Hachibi in a paper prison flattened out, forming a sort of hammock instead. It rose, floating in the air beside her.

"If Madara asks, tell him that neglecting his prisoners means that they're taken off his hands."

Naruto grinned. "Sure." He rubbed the back of his head. "Look, I'm... sorry if I made you uncomfortable yesterday, Konan."

Her shoulders tightened, and her voice was brittle when she spoke. "Don't push it." She stalked out of the door without a glance, but Naruto noticed that she wiped away a fleck of blood from the Hachibi's face as he was lifted into the hallway.

_aaa_

It was past midnight when he heard a muffled choking sound outside his bedroom, followed by ragged breathing and rapid footsteps. The sounds weaved in and around his half-doze, overlaying Madara's foot slamming into his ribs again, Sasuke's fingers sliding down his hips...

"Hey, what's – _fuck_. What the fuck happened?" Suigetsu's alarm cut through his mind, and Naruto sat up, automatically beginning the painful process of getting out of bed.

Another retching sound. "Madara." Karin's voice was hoarse.

"It looks like you got mauled by a fucking dog or something. You can't heal him _ever _again, not if this is the result. Fuck."

He reached the open doorway just as Suigetsu knelt down and reached out to hold her hair back as she threw up. Naruto felt his own bile rise as he saw the ragged pulp of her forearm, ripped and oozing spurts of dark blood that tapped dissonantly against the rock floor while she shook and rocked on all fours.

Suigetsu's eyes burned, fingers trembling where they touched her. "You need to get patched up. I'll go get the others. There's no way he can get away with this."

Naruto was about to step out and agree, his own rage readily bubbling up from the never-ending well of anger he seemed to carry these days, when Karin clutched at Suigetsu with her good hand, shaking her head.

"No, don't. Juugo might lose control, and I don't want Naruto to know. He'll do something stupid, as usual. If I have to stand by and watch up him beaten half to death again, I think I'll kill someone."

The words froze Naruto to the spot, clenching the doorway hard enough to cramp his fingers.

Suigetsu slammed a fist into the ground and closed his eyes for a moment. "He's a monster." His voice was a deadly calm. "And as soon as this is all over with I'm going to kill him."

"Oh please," Karin said, breathing heavily. She wiped her mouth and spat. "I hate him too, but let's not fool ourselves. We're just as bad as he is."

"Karin, it looks like he tried to rip half the flesh off your arm!"

She tucked her limb close into her body and sat back, knees folded underneath her. "Yeah, didn't appreciate that."

"This is insane." Suigetsu's hand lingered on her hair for a few moments before dropping reluctantly. It swung down in a curtain around her face. "You're just going to let it go? He could have killed you! And where the hell was Sasuke during all of this?"

"He and Madara argued, and he left before I started healing him... he would have stepped in if he'd known..." Karin gingerly touched her ruined flesh. A wavering green chakra covered it, slowly clotting the blood.

"Yeah, like he stepped in to help Naruto so fast?" Suigetsu asked bitterly.

Karin looked away. "The important thing was that he did it in the end."

"Bullshit. We could have done something faster than he did." Suigetsu looked disgusted, and at a wince from her dug around in his pocket, unearthing a few strangely colored pain pills and holding them out to her

"But we didn't," she said harshly, taking one and swallowing it dry. A shudder ran through her body. "We didn't, Su."

He jammed the other ones back in pocket. "I know that."

"It seems so stupid now." Karin ran a rough hand through her hair, seeming to forget that it was sticky with blood.

"We were scared," he said simply. "Of lots of things, I think. If he would punish us. What would happen to us if we showed how we felt. Of how Sasuke would react."

She nodded, and they were silent for a moment. Naruto felt something clutch at his heart.

Karin shook her head violently, and slid her glasses on. "Regret is an odd thing."

Suigetsu let out a short bark of laughter. "You have no idea. Do you need your arm bandaged?"

"It's fine. If I put them on now, they'll stick and just rip the scab off when I change them. And I can't waste any more chakra... Naruto needs healing." She made a weak attempt to stand, putting a hand on his shoulder to steady herself. "I should go do him now."

Suigetsu hesitated. "The Kyuubi's unrestrained at the moment. Naruto's hurting, but he'll be able to move around by tomorrow. You need rest. Don't worry about it right now." He stood and looped an arm around Karin's waist as she nodded and began to walk shakily down the hall. Their voices slowly faded out.

Naruto stood looking out over the empty hall for a moment. Now that Suigetsu had mentioned it, he did feel better than he had a few hours previously, and his senses were sharper. Perhaps tomorrow he would access some more chakra to speed up the process.

Karin's blood had painted the hallway, reinforcing the bitter taste of hatred in his mouth. Even if he succeeded in nothing else here, he would make sure that Madara would never leave this compound again. It was one thing that he and the Kyuubi would be able to agree on.

Naruto thought only of violence as he limped back to bed.

_aaa_

The Kyuubi boiled over into his dreams that night – (_wind whipping screams and the acrid smell of destruction to him across a barren red landscape. naruto sits, limbs dead and refusing to move, as the fox fights two men in the distance – one blond, one dark. this is not his mind, he realizes with a shiver. he should not be here, does not _want _to be here. the landscape is curved downwards like a bowl, and in the sky hangs the faded symbol of the seal, barely visible against the harsh red light. _

_the blond man is snapped up in the fox's jaws, and even from a distance naruto can hear the crunch of his bones. the dark man doubles back in surprise, then shouts something that naruto does not understand, and he is falling up, up, away from the fight even as the fox thrashes against the muzzle that has locked across its mouth. there is only the faintest tingle of static as he rockets through the seal and falls away into the oblivion of the sky..._)

_aaa_

(_are you going to let me die here?_)

Naruto had never had any problem questioning anything and everything before. Why does the sky change color, Iruka? Why don't the villagers like me, Kakashi? What does Sasuke have that I don't, Sakura? When will you teach me something useful, Jiraiya? Hey, old hag, how come Shikamaru got the A mission instead of me?

_(are you going to let me die here, sasuke?)_

Something made the words die on his tongue, coating the inside of his mouth with the sour taste of fear.

Their gazes kept straying to each other and flicking away quickly when they met, but otherwise Sasuke had said and done nothing to suggest that the day before he had shoved Naruto against the wall and kissed him as if his life had depended on it. Instead, he had barged into Naruto's room the next afternoon, kicked him out of bed, and proceeded to try and beat the shit out of him in a sparring match. Naruto later gathered that he had spent most of the day with Madara and was consequently in a hideously bad mood, but at the time had resorted to dirty fighting to avoid breaking a few more ribs. He had not dared try to unearth any of the Kyuubi's power – while his body was slightly stronger, having such an alien mind such his own in the dead of night had unsettled him badly. He didn't even want to think about the flimsy state of the seal, and how high the price of his cure might have been.

Now he was lying flat on his back on the cold stones, watching the rise and fall of Sasuke's chest as he sat against the wall next to him.

He opened his mouth to ask it – (_do i mean anything to you? will you let them kill me?_) - and instead found his lips forming something else. "What do you think he meant about my father, yesterday?"

(_coward coward coward._

_...but that blond man in the dream last night was not me, i could feel it_)

Sasuke looked sideways at him, a light brush of the eyes that made him feel like he was facing a test. "What do _you _think?"

The problem was that Naruto didn't really know, and it wasn't a question that had ever particularly bothered him before. His parents were both dead, he had been told matter-of-factly when he was four and had been curious, and that was that. Except...

(Hey, look, it's Tsunade and Jiraiya's team photo! s_akura grinned, waving the piece of paper above her head in triumph. naruto practically tore it out of her hands in attempt to alleviate the boredom of having to sort tsunade's paperwork – punishment for both of them for accessing old records on sai's background and root without permission. their teammate had told them by all means to go ahead, but he was a shinobi, and therefore did not have the authority to grant access to his own information. naruto had argued loudly against this and also received guard duty. _

No way, _he crowed as he examined it closer, sakura's chin resting on his shoulder as she tugged at it. _Tsunade was flat as hell when she was younger. You'd _never_ know it now. Guess there's hope for you too, eh, Sakura? Ow!

_he rubbed his head where she'd hit him. she flashed her teeth in a teasing smile and jabbed her finger at the photo. _And Jiraiya's looking right down her top, guess he never grew out of being a pervert. Looks like there's no hope for you.

_naruto laughed. _That's just unfair. And Orochimaru's still a creep, look at that stupid smile. _he sobered slightly. _Hopefully that didn't rub off on Sasuke.

_there was a slightly awkward silence, one that inevitably ruled when sasuke was brought up. sakura clasped his hand in hers, twining their fingers. _I'm sure it didn't, _she finally said with a reassuring squeeze, and examined the photo again, exclaiming in surprise when another picture fell out from behind it. _Hey, it's the Fourth...

_sunshine hair with eyes of sky. like a mirror of what he would be in a few years time. _

Wow. s_akura whistled. _When you're Hokage, you won't be able to tell your faces apart on the mountain. That's kind of creepy.

_her glance flickered sideways at him, as if trying to gauge his reaction. it was something that had definitely occurred to naruto before. _

I dunno... I think I'm hotter, _he said with an uneasy smile, silently begging her to drop the issue._

Naruto, you don't think... I mean, nobody's ever said anything, but... you do look a lot like each other. A _lot_. You're the right age and everything... s_he trailed off hopefully, and with a sudden wave of nausea and undirected anger naruto realized that she had been considering this for a long time, __when all his life he had done his very best not to think about the fourth._

_because if it was true, then his father would have sealed a monster into his own son, and what kind of parent would ever subject their child to such a life of misery? gaara was always a brutal reminder of what naruto could have become, and the idea that his parents had willingly done it was something he didn't want to touch with a ten foot pole. so, even with the face of what might have been his twin staring with a smile up at them both, naruto shoved it back into the file they were handling. _

Let's get back to work. _he crossed the room and buried himself in paperwork, feeling sakura's eyes on his back. _

Okay, _she said after a long moment, and they didn't speak until tsunade kicked them out three hours later._)

Naruto shrugged, and stared at the wall from his sprawled position on the ground. "I think he meant the Fourth." He waited for Sasuke to laugh derisively and dismiss the thing out of hand.

"Hn." Sasuke exhaled and stretched, drawing Naruto's eyes to the sculpture of his stomach through his shirt. "Probably."

Naruto blinked. "Really?"

"Ever since we were assigned to the same team." Sasuke shrugged. "But nobody ever brought it up. Not that it does you any good now. He hates the Fourth. And he'll probably take it out on you."

Naruto considered this. "What does he want to do with me?"

Sasuke watched him idly through half-closed eyes. "Kill you, obviously. And he wants you to be restrained until the ritual."

Something about the ease Sasuke was displaying in his presence made Naruto nervous. "Is that what you're here for?"

The look that was sent his way was enough to sear a boar. "Of course not, idiot. I told him to stop interfering."

"Oh."

"I'm not his puppet."

"I dunno, it sure seemed like it when you did everything he told you to." Naruto frowned at him.

"Don't exaggerate." Sasuke drew one of his legs up, scowling. "Akatsuki works in ways that you don't understand."

"I understand that everyone treats each other like dirt. I'm pretty sure Konan showed up to get the Hachibi yesterday just to spite Madara."

"Did she?" Sasuke's mouth twitched up in amusement. "Hn."

Naruto stared at the ceiling, remembering the gaunt shadows on the Hachibi's face. "Do you think she's treating him alright?"

"I don't think he'll be in additional pain, if that's what you mean. But there's nothing I could do for him, even if he was." Sasuke shrugged.

Naruto said nothing, and Sasuke looked away. "There was something I could have done for you. I should have stepped between you and Madara sooner." He reached out, finger lightly touching a bruise at Naruto's temple. The blond looked up at him, surprised.

"Well, it was worth it just to see the surprise on his face when I spat at him." It was not forgiveness, but Naruto figured that was okay, since it wasn't really an apology in the first place. Sasuke inclined his head, as if he recognized that.

"I won't let it happen again."

Naruto smiled, and reached up to touch his wrist.

The air sighed as Sasuke leaned over him. "Besides, I keep telling them. You're _my _prisoner, and I can do what I like with you."

The words were almost playful for him, but his eyes were intent and piercing, and Naruto's throat suddenly became dry at his proximity, remembering the silken texture of his lips. "Like hell you can," he said, raising his eyebrow.

"We'll see." And apparently Sasuke had been thinking something along the same lines, because he bent over at the same time Naruto leaned up, meeting halfway in a firm kiss.

They tangled together – Sasuke's hands at the nape of his neck, running down the line of his jaw, exploring his ribs, fitting around his hips – and Naruto hazily wondered if it got better each time you kissed someone, if there was anything better in the world than being wanted...

Sasuke's lips moved down to his neck, and the world blurred as Naruto fists clenched in the back of his shirt, letting out a sharp gasp. The warm weight of Sasuke ran electricity down his limbs.

"You know, I don't think this is what Madara meant by restraining me," he said with a grin, tracing patterns up Sasuke's back.

He felt Sasuke's lips curve against his jaw, and a quiet gust of air past his ear made him shiver. "I can interpret it however I like."

Naruto laughed, and was just slipping his hands under the hem of Sasuke's shirt when something made them both freeze. The sound of footsteps in the hall clanged like warning bells, and Sasuke, who had just caught Naruto's earlobe between his teeth, pulled back onto his elbow with a surprised hiss. Naruto lay on his back, breathing heavily as the steps passed the room and continued down the corridor. He wanted to reach out, drag Sasuke back to him, but it was obvious that it was already too late – Sasuke's face had closed, and his eyes were narrowed as they lingered on the door.

"Sasuke?"

He didn't reply, didn't look at Naruto. The blond sighed, missing the phantom feel of his friend's body as its warmth leeched away. "Is this how it's going to be now?"

"I should go," Sasuke said, looking away. "Madara's expecting me soon."

"Sasuke." Naruto reached up and brushed away a lock of hair from his eyes. Sasuke flinched. "It's just me. You can relax."

"I can never relax around you," Sasuke muttered, and began to stand. Anger pulsed hot through Naruto's veins, and his hand shot out, grabbing his shirt and pulling him, off-balance, back to the floor. Sasuke made a surprised sound and tried to throw him off, but Naruto pinned the tail of his shirt with one knee and swung the other across his lap, straddling him.

"Hey, I'm right fucking here, okay? _Look at me_."

Sasuke's lip curled, and he raised his eyes defiantly. Their cool gaze sent a spark through him. "What point are you trying to make?"

Naruto's hands curled into Sasuke's shirt. Then he leaned forward and kissed him roughly, letting his tongue run across the seam of Sasuke's lips, making a softly startled noise as Sasuke's mouth opened under his, hands coming up to grip his hips, their breath intermingling in short, ragged gasps -

He pulled back, settling onto Sasuke's knees and staring him straight in the eyes. "You can't just blow me off every time you think you've said or done your piece. You can't just kiss me and expect to walk away like nothing happened. That's not how this works."

Sasuke's hand rose to his lips, eyes darkened, and stared back at him for a moment. "Tch." He pulled his legs out from under Naruto, who fell backwards in surprise. "Get off me."

But he didn't make any movement to leave, and Naruto smiled at the small victory. "Is your life going to revolve around Madara now that he's here? You two don't even seem like you like each other at all."

"He's a pathetic excuse for an Uchiha and a human being," Sasuke spat out, and Naruto could have sworn the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees. He also had a sneaking suspicion that Sasuke had been waiting to say that to someone for a very long time.

He rubbed his chest, where the bruises from his beating were a deep purple. "Wow, you're right about something for once."

His comment went ignored. "I don't fool myself about our relationship. Madara doesn't like me and I certainly don't like him. He thinks I'm weak, and I know that he betrayed our clan. But we each help each other to our goals." Sasuke's face darkened. "Still, I won't forgive him for what he's done. Every time I see the Sharingan on him I want to rip his eyes out."

Naruto, startled, sat up fully. "I thought you wanted your bloodline restored."

Sasuke was silent for some time, finger tapping the stones beneath them. "No," he said. "Not after I've seen what it means to be a true Uchiha. I wouldn't wish this on any child."

"I wish I had the Sharingan," Naruto said wistfully. "You should have seen the way he got inside my mind. I was so jealous of you, when you first got it."

"Don't say that." Sasuke 's voice was sharp and reprimanding. "You have no idea, what it does."

"Well, how would I? You never told me." Naruto was more surprised than bitter. "It would be cool to be born with that sort of power."

Sasuke rolled onto his back, not seeming to mind the cold stones of the floor. "Sometimes I wonder if this is why the clan didn't try to gain power for decades. Madness. There's always been insanity in my family. It was hidden away from sight, in the back alleys. There was a special house, for the people who'd cracked under the curse of the Sharingan. My grandmother was in there." He glared at the ceiling. "It didn't stop the elders from ordering her to be killed along with the rest, though."

Naruto spread his hand across Sasuke's stomach, marveling. He could almost span the space between the frail hipbones, his palm dark and rough across the smooth, pale skin. "What kind of madness?"

Sasuke shuddered beneath him, burning eyes flicking from the cracks in the stone to Naruto's face for a moment before glancing away. He didn't push the hand away.

"Delusions," he said hoarsely. "Insomnia. Irrationality. Probably the blindness has something to do with it."

(_of course. who knows what's waiting for you in the dark?_)

Naruto nodded.

"It's not bad," Sasuke said, and Naruto saw the lie in the tense of his jaw. "But it's not good. Visions, mostly. Things that dissolve if I look directly at him."

"You mean Itachi."

Sasuke scowled at him and said nothing.

"You're too strong to ever go mad, Sasuke. Besides, I won't allow it. If you did, then all this would be for nothing and I'd be _really_ pissed off." He let the pads of his fingers wander across Sasuke's stomach, grinning when the muscles quivered under his touch.

Sasuke's mouth twitched up into a half-smile before it was whisked away by another frown. "I don't know. I think... I think Itachi was halfway there, by the end. He was definitely going blind." He turned his face away, the raven silk of his hair whispering across the floor. "I don't know. Maybe I was imagining it. It's hard to know what's real, sometimes."

"Well, I'm here," Naruto said, tracing the line of Sasuke's hip to the center of his stomach. "I'm real." There was a small rustle of fabric as his fingers played with the waistband of Sasuke's pants, slipping under.

"I know that... a-aah!" Sasuke's back arched off the floor, eyes fluttering shut as Naruto's hand slid lower.

_aaa_

Naruto's newly recovered good mood was promptly deflated when he found Juugo in his room after returning from a quick visit to check on Karin. She had slept for the entire day, and was still snoring when he left. The sickly circles under her eyes had betrayed her condition, and Suigetsu had hovered in the corner, alternatively biting the skin of his knuckles and swearing.

"Hey," he said, smiling and shutting the door behind him. "What's up?"

Juugo was biting his lip. "You didn't tell me that Madara could control the Kyuubi," he said.

A wisp of Naruto's dream rose to the back of his mind – (_a ghostly chain leading from the hands of the dark man to the muzzle on the fox..._) – and his stomach plummeted.

"I had no idea. Not fully, anyways. Trust me, I wasn't exactly happy to find that out." Naruto shrugged. "But it doesn't really matter, does it? The plan can stay the same."

Juugo chewed on his lip. "It matters if he's able to gain control of it before it destroys the statue."

"It's a risk we'll have to take," Naruto said. "Knock him out or something if you have to."

"If I was capable of that, I would have killed Madara long ago. And Suigetsu would have killed him already, in payment for Karin." Juugo's eyes were dark. "I don't like this, Naruto. The more I hear, the more dangerous he seems, and the more I don't think it's going to work. I'm not willing to accept that."

"Well, what do you want me to do, Juugo?" Naruto fought to keep the frustration out of his voice, and lost. "It's not like we have a lot of choices. Besides, you keep forgetting this is Plan B. Sasuke will change his mind. I know it."

Juugo smiled at him, and Naruto felt his skin erupt in shivers as he saw the depth of sadness there. He looked tired – tired beyond exhaustion, beyond chakra burnout, beyond death.

"You think I'm wrong," he said. "That he won't change."

Juugo passed a hand over his eyes. "Yes."

Naruto took a deep breath and counted to ten. "Okay. That's okay." He smiled weakly. "You'll owe me one when it turns out I'm right."

Juugo didn't smile back. "You need to prepare for the worst, Naruto."

"I have," Naruto said, waving him away. "The Kyuubi and I have a deal. It will be fine. You'll see."

There was a moment of silence as Juugo looked at him sadly. Then he reached out a large hand and squeezed Naruto's shoulder, before quietly leaving the room. Naruto stood still for a second, blinking and trying to convince himself that everything was going to be alright.

_aaa_

"Let's play cards," Karin suggested that night. It was a transparent attempt to ease the tension – Naruto didn't know what word could be used to describe the collective mood of Team Hawk, but it was like the air had thickened, heavy against their skin and lungs, making the inside of their mouths itch, heat blossoming over their bodies in sudden fits of frustration. It had been a mistake for them to follow their ritual of eating together, Naruto could already see, but Karin had finally woken and it seemed natural. No one had said a word for over an hour, and it was not the comfortable silence that usually pervaded over their meals. Instead, it was a brittle construction, one that groaned under the weight of all the unsaid words they had all cultivated within their hearts.

Karin's sleeve pulled up as she dealt the Hanafuda cards, showing a tightly wound bandage hiding the tattered mess of her forearm. Suigetsu's eyes sharpened at the sight, and he gripped his cards so roughly they threatened to tear. Juugo's hands were limp around his own cards, and he stared at the table, while Sasuke projected an air of absolute apathy. Naruto frowned at his own hand, having never had the patience to sit and learn strategies for the strategic games that Team Hawk preferred. The crimson flowers that dominated his cards seemed to mock him. Red. He was fucking tired of red.

"Up to fifty points?" Karin asked quietly, tapping the deck against the table to get Juugo's attention. She was doing her best to keep things together, Naruto thought, even in her condition. He nodded, forced a smile.

"Sure."

It was a quick game. No one was really concentrating, and when Sasuke dropped his last card on the pile, face impassive, he felt only relief.

"Fifty."

"Sasuke wins," Karin announced.

"Of course he does," Suigetsu said disgustedly, drawing a venomous look from her and a bland gaze from Sasuke.

"Drop it." It was obvious that they had argued about something in the day, and Naruto was not surprised that Suigetsu was stubbornly holding onto the issue.

Suigetsu gave a humorless grin. "Why? Sasuke can obviously do no wrong. I was just pointing out another of his momentous achievements."

"If there's a problem, spit it out." Sasuke's gaze hardened, and Suigetsu scowled under his intense scrutiny. There was a moment of silence, and something like contempt flickered in Sasuke's eyes. He stood. "If not, keep your mouth shut."

He began to walk towards the door, and Suigetsu flushed in anger. "Actually, I wasn't done," he said loudly, despite a pointed look from Karin. "I want to know what we're doing with Naruto."

Sasuke stopped midstep, and Naruto's stomach dropped through the floor. Suigetsu plunged on, eyes glittering. "You say we're still going to sacrifice him, but why is he in here with us?"

"I'm _right here_, you know," Naruto said irritably, and was ignored by everyone.

"Why the order to Konan to leave him alone? Why stop Madara beating him? I'd kind of like to know what the hell we're doing."

Sasuke turned around, and the hairs on the back of Naruto's neck stood up. Challenging Sasuke in front of everyone was a not a thing to be done lightly, and Suigetsu knew it. Karin's glasses hid her eyes as she methodically shuffled the cards and watched the two of them. Juugo looked off into the corner, arms crossed and fingers digging into his arms.

"Are you sure you want to have this conversation?"

"Don't change the fucking subject. I asked you a question, and I want an answer. What are you going to do with Naruto_?_"

"I don't _know_," Sasuke snapped back at him, clearly frustrated. "But _do _know that it's not any of your concern."

"If you say that one more time I'm going to shove my fist down your throat," Suigetsu said, marching around the side of the table. "We're your goddamn team, and we deserve to know."

Sasuke's lip curled. "If you think I'm going to give you information that you could give to Konan, you're insane."

"Don't you fucking smirk at me-"

It was probably Suigetsu who attacked first, but Naruto couldn't be sure – there was a slight shift in the air, and then the two of them were caught in a whirlwind of movement, almost too fast for the eye to follow. Naruto stood, toppling his chair as he strode forward, but Juugo caught his sleeve, pulling him backwards. Suigetsu landed a solid kick to Sasuke's chest, nimbly flipping over his shoulder when the Uchiha caught his leg and tugging him back wards by his hair. Sasuke hissed and grabbed at his hands, lashing out behind him with a reverse kick and using the shift in balance to pull him forwards and slam him into the floor.

"No. You'll get hurt," murmured Juugo, keeping a firm grip on his bicep.

It was true. Naruto realized that Suigetsu had merely been toying with him in their sparring sessions – the shinobi now moved with a deadly, feline grace, body melting and reforming within a second as he absorbed a hit from Sasuke and slithered in liquid form over his mouth and chest. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and the chirping of birds exploded over the room as a burst of electricity spiked out from his body, visibly cracking through Suigetsu as he pulled his body back into shape, shuddering in pain.

The move had tired both of them, and there was a second of respite, punctuated by the brilliance of Sasuke's sharingan and Suigetsu's pointed teeth in the light as they drew back and circled each other like fighting dogs.

"Stop!" Karin's eyes were sharp and unforgiving as she propelled herself out of her seat and between them, arms outstretched. There was a knee-jerk backwards in both the men as they stopped themselves from leaping forward again. "Both of you are being idiots! We're a team, or have you forgotten that?"

"This hasn't been a team for a while," Suigetsu spat, pacing up and down behind her like a caged animal. "Get out of the way and I'll show him-"

"Show me what?" Sasuke was still, Karin's palm pressed flat against his chest as he stared over her head. "There's nothing you could possibly teach me. Being a team member means respecting your companion's boundaries, knowing the chain of command, and you violate those rules every chance you're possibly given."

Suigetsu looked like he had been slapped, and looked to his teammates for support. Karin said nothing, face hard, and while Juugo smiled, it was hollow reassurance. Suigetsu blinked, then turned to Sasuke with poison in his gaze.

"And what about you, Uchiha?" He hissed. "You constantly put your own needs above ours, keep us in the dark, push us away. You're our _leader_, for fuck's sake. You're supposed to look out for us. Karin's paid for your mistakes twice. Have you even seen her arm?"

Suigetsu lunged forward and grabbed her arm, roughly yanking the sleeve up to show the bloodstained bandage. Karin snarled in pain and tried to pull away, but his hand tightened, and he pushed her towards Sasuke. Beside him, Naruto felt Juugo's muscles tighten.

"How the hell could you let this happen? You _know _what Madara's capable of, and you let him loose on us... like we're your goddamn pets or something! And what about Naruto, huh? You just stood by when he was tortured."

This was the first thing to evoke a response in Sasuke – his own hand shot out to grip Suigetsu's wrist, squeezing so tightly he was forced to let go. Karin snatched the limb back to her body, skin pale. Juugo crossed his arms protectively in front of himself, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"You've always been emotional, Suigetsu, but to suggest that I deliberately let Madara do this to her _or _Naruto makes you a sheer idiot. Don't let your problems with me cloud your judgment-"

"Cloud my _judgment?_" Suigetsu stepped towards him, fists rising, only to be shoved back by Karin. "I shouldn't _have _to make a fucking judgment about you! We're supposed to be able to trust you, you're supposed to have our backs-"

"Guys..." Naruto said, alarm electrifying his body as a high pitched whine escaped Juugo's clenched teeth.

Sasuke's fists clenched, and the air crackled with chakra. "Hypocritical, don't you think, considering all those meetings with Konan you've been discrete enough not to tell any of us about-"

Naruto barely ducked in time before Juugo's arm whistled over his head, splintering the table. "Sasuke!" He shouted, leaping back and cursing Suigetsu for confiscating his weapons.

There was a blur of the others turning with wide eyes to him, and then Juugo's open hand hit him across the face, spinning him halfway across the room before he landed on his back. Galaxies exploded across his vision, and he struggled up onto his knees, gasping for air.

"I want to join in the fighting too," Not-Juugo said, a gleeful smile plastered across his feet. He started to lumber towards where Naruto had fallen. "My turn."

"Oh, no it isn't." Karin planted herself in front of Naruto, stance firm and fingertips shining with chakra. "Sasuke, now!"

"Juugo, control yourself," Sasuke barked, eyes vibrant with the power of the Sharingan. A thick trickle of blood wove down his face like a teardrop, and with a faint trill of horror Naruto felt all the things he had been told about the Uchiha bloodline slap him across the face as it began to splatter against the ground.

The effect was almost instant. Juugo collapsed to the ground like a marionette with its strings severed. A long moment of tense silence passed, broken only by the dripping of Sasuke's blood against the floor, and then he stirred, sitting up with a low groan. He blinked at them, then averted his eyes and studied his hands.

"I'm sorry. It was too much." It was soft, directed at no one in particular.

Knees shaking, Naruto stood and walked over to him, kneeling to place a hand on his shoulder. "No damage done. Don't worry."

Sasuke touched his cheek, face registering surprise when his fingers came away glistening. The blood had dripped onto his shirt, blossoming like flowers. Naruto's stomach twisted.

"That's new," Karin said, reaching up to touch his face, gaze a razor. "Let me take a look."

He knocked her hand away, body tense. "It's fine."

Juugo gave an odd smile, twisted and broken, and leaned in to Naruto's ear. "Who knows what I would become without the Sharingan to control me," he said softly, and his cold breath sent a shiver down Naruto's spine.

"She's only trying to help," Suigetsu snapped.

"And you're trying to start another fight," Sasuke told him, lips twisting into a sneer of contempt. "It's pathetic to try and accuse me of not caring about our teammates when you're perfectly willing to create an atmosphere that you know could set off Juugo."

"Fuck you." Suigetsu spat at his feet and walked in tight strides over the door. "This whole team is a joke. I'm outta here." He slammed the door behind him.

Karin shook her head in disgust. "You know, I don't think he was out of line. You handled that entire thing really badly," she told Sasuke. "Come on, Juugo." She swept the cards into a neat pile and leaving, hair tossed over her shoulder. Naruto turned his head to see Juugo's eyes flick away from him before he stood and left without a word.

Sasuke did not move from his clenched position.

Naruto cleared in his throat in the following silence. Sasuke stood with his head bowed. "Rough patch, I guess," he offered lightly, though he knew it was anything but.

"No," Sasuke said, voice flat. "It's more than that."

"Sasuke..."

The Uchiha crossed over to the door in two strides. As the door creaked open, something drove Naruto to speak.

"Wait."

Sasuke paused.

"I'm tired of dancing around this. I think I deserve to know." His throat was dry. "What you're going to do."

He heard Sasuke breathe in several times, and out again a few moments later when no answer came.

"A lot of people deserve to know," he finally said, and left. Naruto stood frozen, counting his own heartbeats – _(one, two, threefuckit what's the point_) – swore and flung his fist at the wall carelessly, relying on the pain to slice through the fog of his mind.

If he had known that that had been the last time Team Hawk would be truly together, he might have run into the hallway, tried to call them back, stop them repelling like magnets released from their bonds. The words clamoring inside him would have tried to make them understand how useless it was to fight _now_, how everything could still be salvaged, how it wasn't too late. He might have even succeeded, and events might have followed a very different course.

As it was, he just cradled his pulsing hand to his chest, watched the blood-red glow of the lamps mock him from across the room, and tried to dispel the empty feeling that they had all missed something very important.

* * *

**Hope everything's good on your end! Happy Halloween in advance :)**


	10. Interlude III: Shattered

**Wow. It's been a really, really long time. In the last year and a half I've graduated high school, started college, switched fandoms and interests more times than I can count, and changed a lot as a person, but I've never lost my need to write. Thanks for all your patience, support, and wonderful criticism/reviews that you guys have left. I've appreciated every one, and they inspired me to start working on this again. Considering how much is already written and the fact that I've had the ending begging to be written for over three years at this point, I feel that to never finish this project would be... disappointing, to put it lightly. With that in mind, I'm going to do my best to write as much as possible in the next two weeks before my second semester of university starts. This chapter isn't actually an example of my current style - most of this was written a year ago and has remained on my computer ever since, with only a few paragraphs needing to be finished. Hopefully the transition won't be jarring. **

**Once again, I'm sorry that it's taken so long to get this project back on track. I hope you enjoy the next chapter, and all my love and thanks to everyone who has waited so patiently for this to continue and messaged me with their support. You are all fantastic :) **

* * *

**Daybreak**

**Chapter Ten, or ****Interlude III: Shattered**

Karin had been a small child when she slipped and fell out of the tree beside her house. The fall had been long – unbelievably long, the world slowing down around her as she grasped at the branches above her head until she landed flat on her back, body impacting the ground like a meteor. Her lungs had surrendered her breath in one sharp cry, static bursting like flowers across her eyes. It had been her first experience with unyielding, inescapable pain. Even after her mother came running out and the soothing balm of healing chakra had chased away the agony, she had been unable to breathe, and had lain for an eternity gasping like a fish as her body commanded her to take in the air that her lungs refused to expand for. For several minutes she had been convinced she was going to die, and it was that feeling she despised above all else – the stunned emptiness, an inability to do anything but wait to see if the fall would kill you.

Something in her heart was falling now, almost in slow motion...

She shouldn't have crept up on them. But she didn't know what it was – couldn't have known. There had been raised voices, words glistening with accusations and a flayed kind of beauty. And years of serving as Orochimaru's informant had instilled in her a need to find out, a need to _know_. So she had pulled a veil over her chakra and crept to the corner of the hallway, leaning out as the voices were replaced with softer sounds.

It took her a moment to recognize the shapes and colors for what they were.

Naruto's fingers had woven themselves into Sasuke's hair, pulling him forward from where he was backed into the wall.

"I know you remember."

"It doesn't make a difference to me."

"Remember that one scuffed tile on the bridge? The one that Sakura never stepped on because she thought it was unlucky and then one day you did and ended up breaking your arm a couple minutes afterwards and none of us ever went near it again?"

"No," Sasuke said, eyes fixed on the floor. Naruto's hands moved to frame his face, brushing a long lock of hair away.

"Remember how after our fifth mission the old man at ramen stand gave us free noodles and how you went red every time his daughter served us and I teased you for months afterwards? Or how there was that big rock down at the river that we used to swim at with Team Twelve, and how Kiba and I would always make you race us and then you and Hinata completely beat our asses because you were faster at learning chakra manipulation?"

"No." But Sasuke didn't pull away from his grasp. "I outgrew those things. We all did."

Naruto shook his head, one of his thumbs tracing the outside of Sasuke's ear. Karin felt the sickening jolt of freefall in her stomach, the moment of inertia before a hard reconciliation with the earth. "Remember how our training site was perfect even though we'd always trashed it the day before, and how at the end of the day our chakras had always mixed together – yours and mine and Sakura's and Kakashi's so it felt like we were one person?"

"I don't," Sasuke said, but anything after that was lost to her because he hauled Naruto towards him by the collar of his shirt and - no no no no no _no_, they weren't, it wasn't fair, it wasn't -

It same stunning blow that she'd felt all those years ago – heart beating a burning rhythm against her ribs; stomach threatening to collapse; edges of her mind whining a high-pitched note that promised a blistering headache later.

"I miss that. And I _know_ you remember," Naruto said, breaking away from the kiss only to tug at Sasuke's earlobe with his teeth.

Sasuke sucked in a breath, eyes falling shut. "Maybe," he said, voice dropping into a deep rumble as Naruto's hands spread wide across his hips. Karin stood, listening to the drumbeat of her world collapsing in her ears, and tried not to move in case she collapsed as well.

A grin spread across Naruto's face - god, she had forgotten how brilliant it really was; like the sun itself had caressed him as a child.

"That's - progress -" he murmured, lips tracing a steady line down the long line of Sasuke's throat as he tilted his head back, face in stark profile from the lamp burning above them. He didn't look peaceful, exactly - his face was far too ravaged by a lifetime of tragedy and rage for that. It was more a softened wistfulness, a reluctant refusal to open his eyes and face the world that was waiting for him beyond this corridor; beyond the boy that he drew to him, fingers shaking where they traced the rocky structure of his spine. Naruto paused for a moment to breathe, pressing his lips feather-light to Sasuke's collarbone. In return, one of Sasuke's hands drifted up to the nape of Naruto's neck, hovering for a second before dragging him up for another hurried meeting of mouths.

Karin turned and walked away. She stared at her boots as she walked, making sure she didn't step on any of the cracks between the rocks. She kept her pace steady so as not to interrupt the constant click of her heels. She dug her fingernails into her palms, pressing harder every time the pain began to fade. She was going to walk to her room, then close the door quietly and sit down on her bed, and then... change her bandage, yes. She was going to spend some time alone, and it would all be fine, fine, fine.

That plan derailed slightly when she kicked open her door to find Suigetsu inside, hand outstretched for the handle.

"No," she said, before he could even open his mouth. "Whatever it is, no."

Suigetsu raised an eyebrow. "Where've you been?"

"None of your business," she snapped, leaning back against the wall. Her blood was still beating a jealous rhythm against her temples, heart flying hot against her ribs.

"Right. Uh, Juugo and I were wondering if you wanted to spar with us. You know, since things have been kind of fucked up lately. It would be nice. Just… nice." He trailed off and shoved his hands in his pockets as she stared at him, the words lazily spiraling across her eyelids for a long moment before she could bring herself to decipher them.

"No," she said finally when the silence lengthened, and stepped towards her bed, leaving the door open in a clear invitation for him to leave.

"Come on, it'll be good for all of us," he wheedled, grinning at her. "Besides, it's been ages since we had a go."

It was true, but she was in no mood to indulge either of them. "No." Pressure was beginning to coil out from her chest, squeezing down to her fingers, roiling her stomach, thudding through her legs. "Go away." Her voice sounded far away, hollow and strained.

"Hey, are you okay?" Suigetsu's forehead crinkled as he peered at her. "You look seriously stressed out."

No. _No. _She was not going to go to pieces, especially not in front of him, out of everyone. She pointed at the door, and focused on making her voice crisp, demanding.

"Fuck off."

It was bitchy, but it was also Suigetsu, and he of all people could suck it up and take it. His grin slipped, and to her horror he leaned forward.

"Karin, what's wrong?" It was the unmasked concern that did it – the deep well within her overflowed, and she flung herself away from him as tears began scrape at the raw insides of her lids.

"Just go away, okay? Please, please, go _away_." She pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes, expecting a low grumble and the slam of her door. Instead, Suigetsu's hands found her shoulders, and she looked up to see his face tight with anger.

"Did Madara do something to you?" His fingers dug in, shaking. "I swear to the gods, I'm gonna go kill that fucker –"

"Oh, for the gods' sake, stop it," Karin said, fists clenching to keep her vision clear. "It was Sasuke. And Naruto."

Suigetsu's face was blank for a second, but then his eyes widened. "Oh. _Oh. _You mean..."

He's wasn't nearly surprised enough. Chest tight with embarrassment, she said quietly, "You knew, didn't you?"

"I had an idea," he said, face scrunching in that ridiculous way it did when he lied. At her steady gaze, he flushed. "Yeah. I knew."

She shook her head. "What, was I the only one in the dark?" Suigetsu opened his mouth, but she wrenched herself away from his grasp, heads screaming for something to throw, tear, burn. "Well, I really fucking hope you enjoyed watching me make an idiot of myself, because that's the last time it's gonna happen. Get the fuck out of my room, Su, I want to be alone."

And then, to her absolute horror, she was crying – huge, hot tears that boiled out of her eyes, tracked a scalding line her cheeks, and reduced the world to an unwelcome smear of color. She turned away, steeling her shoulders against the cool mountain air, and pressed her hands over her face. The slick of tears over her palms felt just like the shame and embarrassment and _hurt _clinging to the inside of her ribs.

There was a gentle touch at her shoulder before Suigetsu's arms hesitantly slid around her. "You're not an idiot, Karin."

"You're such a terrible liar," she said between shaking breaths.

His arms tightened around her, and after a moment she let herself lean into them.

"When was the last time you slept?" Suigetsu murmured into her ear, and she shook her head helplessly.

"I don't know. Madara's chakra is still in my system. It makes it hard."

"You should rest," he said, and after a moment, added in a strange voice, "I have some sleeping tablets. Take them."

"Don't tell me what to do," Karin mumbled, but didn't resist when the pills and a canister of water were pushed into her hands; allowed him to guide her down to the bed and pull a scratchy blanket up to her chin. She barely noticed the hand that smoothed down her hair; the long minute spent in silence as he weighed his options; the quiet voice that said, "You won't have to see that again," as it left her to the night.

_aaa_

Karin slept badly, with violent crashes filtering through to her dreams. Twice someone ran past her room, echoing against the stones, and she woke once to the sound of a brutal argument far away, before disorientation dragged her back to her pillow.

What could have been five minutes or a century later, she blinked into consciousness to see the alien mask of Madara in her face, his hands gripping her wrist, arm already raised halfway to his mouth, and already her chakra was roiling with disgust, someone was yelling outside the room, and she could feel chakra bursts, a battle only a few hundred meters away, and this wasn't right, what was happening, he didn't have _permission –_

She tried to pull away, found her body bound with a chakra corrupt enough to burn, mouth glued shut so that even when his mouth was on her and teeth were tearing at her veins and she screamed and screamed and _screamed, _nothing came out but a pitiful whine, and the world was staining red –

_aaa_

When Karin finally woke to the dim, unchanging light, her mouth was coated in the stale taste of sleep and her clothes stuck to her skin with night sweat. The rest of the world was quiet, and for a moment she just lay in bed, trying to figure out why she felt like someone had scoured her veins with a wire brush. A dark wisp of Sasuke tugged at the back of her mind, but she brushed it away. Introspection had never played a large role in her life, and she preferred to keep it that way.

It wasn't until she began to swing herself out of bed that the pain in her arm hit her like a physical blow. She reeled backwards, legs hitting the base of the bed. The sounds and feverish visions of the night swirled across her eyes in a foggy cloud, and she looked down to see the flesh of her arm rearranged in a grotesque parody of normality. Madara had cauterized it so that she hadn't bled out, but he hadn't bothered to arrange the flaps of skin back into place – the inner skin of her forearm was bubbled and twisted into small mounds, stretched and shiny in some places and lumped in others. Above all, it _burned_, a searing white pain flickering under her skin like flames.

Karin stood very still for another moment, breathing deeply. Then she moved to bandage it, fingers shaking as the evidence was buried under a blanket of white as thick as her hand. She was used to other people using her body and had long ago resigned herself to the fact that she was never going to be beautiful – not with the tracks of other people's teeth running along her skin like tattoos – but this was different. This felt like the time Orochimaru's henchmen had come to her room at night, mouths stretched wide in ugly grins. She had fought them off in the end, and they never came back, but the rough pressure of their hands never really washed away either.

But she didn't want to think about that. Something had happened last night.

When she slipped out into the hallway, she was immediately struck by the long, dark scorch marks stretched across the walls. The air stank of battle - sweat and blood and the dark, heady sex-smell of overworked chakra. Karin flicked her tongue out to get a better taste of her surroundings - Madara's power lay heavy over the scene, layering over the erratic spike of Naruto's veined chakra and Juugo's rage. And underneath it all, the unmistakable tang of terror.

"Oh, good, you're awake." Suigetsu broke into her thoughts, sounding far too nonchalant. When she turned she saw that someone had burned a track from his jaw to his fingers, though he was attempting to hide it under a smile she had come to know as the one he used to hide things. "What's up?"

"What did you _do_?"

Guilt didn't look good on Suigetsu – it settled onto his shoulders like a yoke. He set his jaw. "I went to Konan and told her about Sasuke and Naruto."

"What? _Why_?"

"Naruto isn't leaving here anyways," he said quickly, words tripping over each other. "All that's changed is that he's locked up, and Madara isn't kingpin anymore. It was worth it."

"Come on, betraying Sasuke's trust?" Karin wanted to scream – everything, everything, _everything_ was falling apart. "What, exactly, was worth that?"

"Freedom from the Akatsuki, for all of us if we want it. And... they're not allowed to see each other. We don't have to put up with them fighting or Sasuke acting like a little bitch anymore." Suigetsu fell silent, but she saw what he really meant as he looked away.

"You did it because I was _upset_?"

"What?" Suigetsu's head snapped up, gaze skittering across her face and onto the floor. "No! Wow, self centered much?"

"For fuck's sake, Su. It sucks, it really fucking does, and I'm mad as hell and I want to beat the shit out of both of them, but you can't – you can't just throw away our entire team because of it!"

Karin pushed by him and ran down the hall – (_are they okay where are they where is everyone_) – ignoring him when he called her name.

_aaa_

She found Sasuke outside the holding cell, cheek split open in a raw wound he had obviously made no attempt to clean. One his palms rested against the wall, keeping him upright as he looked through the window cut into the metal door.

"You're okay," she breathed, the relief making the hallway spin around her. Sasuke gave her a sidelong glance and shrugged before looking back into the room. She stepped close and followed his gaze, feeling hot rage ignite in her stomach when she saw Naruto's unconscious body. His hair was dark with blood, wrists chained to the wall.

"I didn't do it. Tell them, I mean." Karin hated the way her voice came out – needling, defensive. It was always like this around Sasuke... she cared too much about what he thought, and the tension came through when she opened her mouth, which only served to make her more uncomfortable, which made her seem more tense and unpleasant, until she was ready to jump out of her skin and everyone else was ready to kill her.

"I know," he said, sounding tired. "Suigetsu."

"Yeah." (_because of me, still my fault_)

They stood in silence for a moment. Sasuke passed a hand over his eyes, not even wincing when he brushed the ragged cut on his cheek. "At least he came and told me what he'd done, and why."

That might have been one of the battles she'd heard.

"What did you do?"

Sasuke gave a humorless smile. "Nothing. Stopping Konan and the others from taking Naruto was more important. But they'd had time to prepare, and it was three against four." A sound echoed down the corridor towards them, and he glared into the dark for a moment before continuing. "With Madara's injuries and Juugo's instability, it wasn't much of a fight."

"I'm sorry," she said, sounding small to her ears.

"It's not your fault." The words were perfunctory, robotic. He shook his head, eyes on Naruto's bruised face. "Not yours."

"I'll heal him," she said, and he nodded.

"I... good." And then, so quiet she could barely hear it: "Thank you." He looked ragged, exhausted, but somehow more sincere than she had seen him in a long time.

As she turned her attention to the lock, Sasuke froze. "Madara's coming," he said in a low voice.

The half-moon wounds in her arms began to flare, and she forced her hands to stop trembling. Sasuke had seen, though, and his eyes set into slits as he examined the bandages winding up to her elbows.

"I don't want him doing anything else to you. Get out of here," he whispered, pushing at her shoulders. Karin didn't need to be told twice. She fled up the hallway and around the corner, entire body seized with the scratchy, static feeling of panic. The low murmur of voices drifted up to catch her ears, and she clenched her fists, coming to a halt. She had not become a kunoichi to run from what she feared.

Karin pulled a thick curtain across her chakra, calmed her breathing, toed off her shoes, and then sidled to the turn of the corridor. She didn't know what she was going to hear – obviously eavesdropping had worked out _so_ well for everyone the last time she did it – but something about the terrified rage when she looked at her arms and the exhausted look in Sasuke's eyes compelled her to stay.

"I'm sure you realize the seriousness of what you've done," Madara was saying, as she took out one of her mirrors to peer around the corner. His voice still held the infuriating tone of pleasant conversation that always irked her, but there were dark undertones to it, a promise of violence and spattered blood.

"I've been a teenager and know what hormones are like, but could you really not have chosen one of your teammates? The Jinchuuriki and the sword-chaser are interchangeable enough. The redhead follows you around like a lost puppy. And the curse-bearer would do anything for you. Because of your _lack _of self-restraint, Pain just moved from a pawn to a player in our little game. He'll be here in two days. Zetsu has already joined him, and we've lost Kisame as well. His loyalty to the Uchiha ended with Itachi."

"It wasn't a failure of self control. I knew exactly what I was doing," Sasuke said – not apologetically or submissively like she had expected, but with the razor burn of anger. "And if you are such a weak leader that the Akatsuki divided itself over _this_, then you deserve this exact punishment for it."

Madara laughed without mirth. "You know nothing about politics, boy. A group formed out of fear and unthinking brutality will never last long... as I think you're finding out with your own team now. One of your own betrayed you, for reasons you can't even begin to comprehend – as far as I can tell from Konan's gloating, it seems he felt that it would spare your fangirl from any more pain. And you never saw it coming, because you were so sure you had him under your thumb. _That _is what politics is. Layers on layers of human weakness. Greed, hate, love, envy, desire, guilt... all of it creates a complex web that can be tweaked however you want with just a few choice words, the right action, catching them at a key moment of weakness. You never _see_ anybody else, Sasuke, just your own emotions, your own needs. That is why your team has fallen apart before your eyes, and your chosen lover is going to die directly by your hand. That is why you are unsuited to politics and leadership. Your selfishness – your critical inability to gauge others – is what has led you here and ultimately failed you." Madara's eye glittered maliciously through his mask.

"It would seem," Sasuke said slowly, "that selfishness is a trademark of our clan." Karin's heart nearly broke to see him so obviously affected – his eyes were wide and glossy, giving him an almost eerie sense of innocence, and his fists shook at his sides, despite visible attempts to keep them under control.

"I don't deny it," Madara said, sounding amused. "But while the rest of us certainly were selfish, we kept it in perspective. And my greed is far less than some of those in the Akatsuki. The difference between you and I is that I have the patience to fulfill my desires over a period of time, while you charge in without looking." He stopped for a moment, voice thoughtful when he resumed. "I suppose one could argue that the only selfless Uchiha was Itachi himself. It takes great will to give up all that is yours. What a noble act, cleansing his village to save it from certain war. It's probably the greatest personal sacrifice of our century. And then, you and I come along to destroy all his hard work." The silken delight in his words was tangible. "How he would hate me, to see what I have planned." His great eye examined Sasuke closely, although the boy did not appear to notice. "I imagine he would hate you too, if he knew what your greatest goal was."

The tone was light, but Karin was not fooled. Madara was testing Sasuke, to see if his resolve was still there. Years of Orochimaru's honeyed and often venomous questions had trained her to recognize the trap.

"It's not his decision to make," Sasuke said, after a long moment of silence. "Konoha will still burn."

_aaa_

Before she was chosen to be a kunoichi; before she was picked for Orochimaru's collection; before Sasuke dragged her into the riptide of Team Hawk, Karin had wanted to be a doctor. She was four years old when she found a raven with a tattered wing and watched it bloom with new life under her hands; was five when she realized that her blood brought release from pain. Broken things could be fixed the way she wanted, and her affinity for them only grew as she got older. Perhaps that was why the torture was so easy for her, Karin thought as she rebound her aching arm. Because there was always the possibility of putting them together again to start anew.

Perhaps that was the reason she loved Sasuke.

But it was so much easier to want something you thought you could save. She wasn't sure she could, anymore.

_aaa_

In the end, it wasn't Sasuke or Suigetsu or Naruto to whom she went for comfort. It was Juugo - sweet and understanding Juugo, willing to both kill her and die for her. It should have been strange that he was the one who she trusted the most – should have, but it wasn't like anything was normal in this place anyways.

"Have you seen Su anywhere?" Juugo's nails were bitten down, she noticed. He was losing weight, too. The hollows of his cheeks were pronounced, eyes beginning to take on a sunken look. She shook her head gently. "Not for hours."

"Damn," he scowled, sitting with his back against the cliff wall. The training plateau was empty but for them, and the sky was gray. At the edge of the horizon was a roiling wall of black cloud heading slowly but surely in their direction. Neither of them had to say it: Pein.

She sat next to him, hands limp in her lap. His eyes rested on the half-congealed scars zigzagging up her arms. "Sasuke told me what Madara did to you."

With almost anyone else, Karin would have covered up the injuries and scowled. But they had intimately seen the worst parts of each other, and despite the pulped flesh in plain view, she never felt ugly in his gaze. "Yeah."

"I should have kept an eye on you. I'm sorry." Juugo was frowning. "Sasuke called me to help defend Naruto from Zetsu, and I... well, you know. I was out of it for a while. I should have stayed with you."

She shrugged, looking down at the years of scars on her body. "It's my fault. Shouldn't have taken sleeping pills, of all things. A real kunoichi knows better than to poison her body."

Juugo made a disgusted noise, and tipped her chin up with his finger. She met his burning eyes with a small jolt.

"Whatever you've done in the past, you don't deserve this," he said quietly, and she felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. "Why aren't you angry, Karin? You lash out when your teammates are hurt – why not yourself?"

Karin pulled her face away and drew her knees up. "Everybody gets angry. I'm not any different."

Juugo's eyes grew hooded. "You didn't poison yourself," he said after a while. "The Akatsuki are what's toxic around here."

"Well, we knew what we were getting into."

Juugo nodded, lips a thin line.

She leaned her head against his shoulder. "It wasn't meant to go like this."

"I know," Juugo said, and tucked a stray lock of hair out of her face.

She swallowed painfully. "And it's not just the... thing with Sasuke not, you know... I mean, I know I'm not what he wants. But the whole situation with Naruto is completely fucked, Ju. Just... I can't believe how much I..."

"Care?" The lines under his eyes made him look ten years older. Karin nodded.

"Just... how did we ever convince ourselves that it was okay to bring him here?" Fury rose like bile in the back of her throat, directionless but thick enough to make her gag. "How did _Sasuke_ convince us? To have your chakra siphoned off like that until you die, it's... inhumane. I remember Orochimaru-" Juugo's breath came sharp, but he said nothing - "doing experiments on a few prisoners, feeding off their chakra until they systems gave out." She shuddered at the memory. "They screamed for _days_, Juugo. It was like nothing I'd ever heard before. Like listening to children die. Most them were ranting nonsense by the end of it. Enough pain can drive you mad. Naruto doesn't even deserve to die, and not like that. Not when every second is agony."

Juugo had gone very still, and when she looked up his face was white.

"Karin, we're friends," he said suddenly. She blinked, eyes feeling raw, and managed a small smile.

"Yes."

"If I was ever stuck in the Curse form, permanently, or was about to be let loose on a lot of innocent people again, you would kill me, right?"

She stiffened. "Why are you asking me that?"

"Tell me," he said, looking past her.

Karin weighed her words against the dull ache of her heart. "Yes. If it was necessary, I think I would. Yes."

"Because that would be best for everyone." Juugo was still staring at the corner of the room, fingers frantically tapping at the ground. "Including me."

"Ju, you're making me nervous." She tried to smile and shoved him playfully, but he didn't respond and her alarm only grew. "Hey, you know that's not going to happen, right? Relax. The Curse mark isn't known to be permanent, and Sasuke's got you under control. It won't ever come to that."

The light was cold on his face, and for a moment he looked like a ghost – smooth and pale, eyes shining with his disease. Karin felt the hair on her arms raise, and had to fight the urge to recoil at the alien aspect of his face.

Then he gave a tired smile and transformed back into the brother she knew. "I know, Karin." He kissed her temple, and they watched the storm approach in silence.

:::

"Naruto?" Karin shut the cell door behind her, skin tight with the apprehension of being somewhere she shouldn't.

"Karin? That you?" Naruto's voice was a damaged rasp, breaking at the end.

She drew closer, breath coming sharp when she saw the dark bruises blooming under his skin, making his skin a tapestry of struggle. The anger at him (_you shouldn't have touched Sasuke, he's _mine_) _did not dissipate, but neither did it surge through her veins with the bloodlust she had expected – instead it sunk lower in her stomach, weighted by the added pressure of shame. "Yeah, I'm here."

Naruto's eyes slid shut for a second, and his hands shook. "I thought you guys had been hurt or tossed off the side of the cliff or something. Kisame wouldn't speak to me."

"Uh, no. Just some bruised egos on our side, I guess." She gave him a weak smile. "Didn't Sasuke tell you?"

It was strange to see how he reacted, now that she _knew_. His entire body shifted, somehow – little things, like the way his eyes focused, the way he leaned forward, the slight tug of his lips.

"He hasn't been here. Is he okay? They didn't lock him up too, did they?"

Fucking Sasuke, Karin thought, and then spent a moment surprised at the vehemence of the thought. But it figured that Sasuke wouldn't go to see him. It was easier to see the faults in him these days; the damage that spilled into all of their lives. It was like something shaking loose within her, drawing a veil from her eyes.

"We're all fine," she said, kneeling next to him. Naruto's hands and ankles were cuffed to the wall with iron manacles that emitted a faint hum of chakra. Suppressors, then, since it looked like he hadn't even begun to heal. "Better than you, at any rate."

His smile was more relieved than anything else, but it held a hint of pride. "I still kicked Zetsu's ass pretty hard before Konan got to me. Creepy bastard's probably still looking for his teeth."

"I hope so." She grinned at him, watched his eyes light up a little despite the chafing at his wrists, and couldn't hold the words back. "This is my fault, Naruto."

Naruto went stiff. "What?"

Karin laid it out for him quietly, looking at the floor. He didn't move throughout the whole explanation, lips carved into a deep frown.

"…I didn't mean for him to do anything about it," she finished, chancing a look up. "I was just… I saw you and Sasuke and I couldn't even think, it was like everything in me switched off."

Silence beat at her ears as Naruto examined her, blue eyes solemn for once.

"You shouldn't carry around guilt like that," he finally said, shifting his chains. "That's so not your fault it's almost funny. Except not really, cus, you know, it kind of sucks in here."

Karin blew out a shaky breath. "Everyone likes to carry some sort of guilt. But okay."

He watched her for another moment, chewing at his lip. "Karin, about Sasuke-"

"Don't," she said. "Don't."

"It was never to hurt you."

"Obviously."

"I'm sorry."

"That's enough apologies all around for one night, okay? And I'm not a good enough person to forgive that quite yet. That's not what I came here for. I want to heal you."

Naruto nodded once. "I'll shut up about it if you're quiet about 'not being a good person' or whatever. That's just bullshit."

Karin hesitated, face caressed by the dark. She could have told him about the nights spent torturing for Orochimaru, the children she orphaned, the pleas from people just like him and Juugo that she barely even heard. But some things couldn't be shared, and Naruto's faith was too soothing to throw away on some urge for truth.

"Deal. Now bite me."

He shook his head. "You just healed Madara – I don't want to strain you."

Karin smiled. "It's more dangerous to underestimate your friends than your enemies. I can handle it."

She extended her arm to him. The dim light of the corridor ran an outline of fire around the scars, and after a moment Naruto took her wrist gently, looking the fresh puncture wounds from earlier in the day, vicious and jagged.

"Madara's not a gentle man," she said, shrugging as he ran his finger lightly over them.

"He's a monster." Naruto put his other hand over hers, fingers warm and callused. "I'm going to take him down with me. I swear."

_Don't make promises you can't keep_, Karin wanted to say. _I don't know how you can care for me,_ maybe. Or: _I can see why Sasuke loves you._

"Can't say I mind that," she said instead, looking down. Two of his fingernails were missing, and one of his thumbs had been crushed out of shape. "Look, I wouldn't offer now if I didn't want to, Naruto. And you need this."

He nodded slowly, then raised her palm to his lips – the chains clinked loudly in the darkness – and visibly tried not to wince as he sank his teeth gently into the skin covering the pad of her index finger.

Karin closed her eyes, braced against the bone deep shudder that always accompanied this kind of intimacy. Sometimes it was a razor tide of pain that seeped through her flesh; sometimes closer to a molten ecstasy. And, occasionally, it was like this – a soft relief, like a body released from restraints. Like forgiveness.

"That's about the most unsexy thing I think I've ever done in my life," Naruto said, after pulling away and spitting out the taste. "But thanks, Karin." He smiled, flexing his healed fingers. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to," she said – surprising herself with how easily it rolled off the tongue, the act of wanting something for herself.

:::

Suigetsu was standing outside her room when she got back, fingers drumming in an awkward, unsteady pattern against the wall.

"So you've emerged from wherever you slithered off too," she said, frowning when she saw his backpack at his feet. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Karin..."

"I mean it." She slipped past him, into the threshold of her door.

"I can't stay here anymore," Suigetsu said abruptly behind her, fingers stopping their dance. "I'm leaving. Today."

The sound of her own breathing magnified in her ears, and she turned around, anger overtaken by a sick pressure in her stomach. "What?"

"You heard me."

"No. You can't go." The world sounded like it was coming from far away, rushing towards her from a long tunnel. "We need you."

"No, you don't," he said, looking at the floor. "Sasuke doesn't need me any more than he needs you or Juugo, and you know it." He tugged at a strap on his pack. "I said goodbye to Ju. Thought I'd come and wish you luck with everything before I left."

This must be a joke. "What about Sasuke?"

His lips twitched. "I prefer to keep my organs inside my body, thanks. I'll leave you with this particular development to explain."

"Of course. I can't believe I'm even surprised at that," she said, rolling her eyes even as the first wings of panic began to beat within her.

"I, uh..." he paused, looking at the ground. "Tell Naruto goodbye for me, will you? And that he was right about me. He'll know what I mean."

Her eyes narrowed. "Coward. You're not even going to say goodbye to him? You're just going to run away?"

Suigetsu's eyes flashed with an intense anger that she had never been on the receiving end of. "Who's the coward here? You're going to stand by and watch them kill him. I won't do it. And I'm not going to go kill some more children I don't know in a village I don't care about just because Sasuke tells me to. Fuck that shit." He tightened his shoulder strap, face darkening. "In fact, I might swing by Konoha and give them a heads up. For Naruto."

"You mean, to spite Sasuke." Her words had no emotion, and her chest ached as though being crushed under some enormous force.

"That too." His grin was tired, faded. She looked away.

"Well, I can't stop you," she said quietly. "I guess this is goodbye, then."

"Yeah."

There was only a foot or two of corridor floor between them, but it might as well have been an entire universe. She examined the frayed strap of her sandal. Suigetsu made a frustrated noise.

"Karin, come with me," he blurted, and her head snapped up.

"What?"

He took a deep breath. "I already asked Juugo. He said that he had to stay and see this through to the end. And he's reliant on Sasuke." Suigetsu spoke quickly, words tumbling over each other. "But you're not. There's no reason for you to be here. My deal with Konan was that we could leave if we wanted. You're free to go."

Her head was shaking of its own accord before he even finished. "You know the answer to that."

Suigetsu's hands clenched around the strap of his backpack. "There isn't anything for you to stay for."

(_no no no no no_)

"Don't ask me to do this, Su. I can't. I won't. I'm not going to leave him. Any of them."

She hated more than anything else the helplessness that darkened his eyes. "Karin, he doesn't love you. And he never will. You know that. Don't waste your life because of it."

It wasn't the words themselves that seemed to wind her – Suigetsu always said things like that. It was more the way Sasuke's fingers had trailed through Naruto's hair, the greedy way his eyes drank in Naruto's movements, the way he was going to betray him despite that...

(_can't think about that right now_)

The images made her words sharp and unforgiving. "And I suppose you want me to come waste my life with you, instead?"

He set his jaw, taking a moment to speak. "It... it wouldn't be a waste. I would never treat you like that, Karin. Never. Seeing you happy is important to me."

"Then stay," she said stubbornly, shying away from the words, unwilling to face what she knew he was saying. "We're a team. Team Hawk. That's what makes me happy. So stay and we won't have a problem."

"Team Hawk is _over_, Karin." And did he really have to look at her like that? Like this was something she needed to hear? Like _this _was going to convince her? "And it has been for a while. None of us wanted to admit it."

"We're your friends, for fuck's sake, and you're just walking away from that!"

His face hardened. "I have a right to my own happiness, and I don't want to be a part of what Sasuke is doing anymore. I don't think that you do, either. Come with me."

Panic fluttered in her breast, pounding with her pulse. No one had ever given her this sort of choice before.

"I've made commitments to them," she said, voice quivering for a moment before she had a chance to calm herself. "Am I just supposed to be leave Juugo? He _has _to stay with Sasuke, he doesn't have a choice, it's not his fault that can't move freely. And Sasuke... he took both of us away from that place, Su. We _owe _him. And Naruto... I can't..."

Suigetsu just looked at her, and she plunged on. "Besides, what would we do? Where would we go? _This _is our life, we can't just pick up everything and leave, there's nothing for us out there. I-"

Suigetsu's hands closed around her shoulders. Before she could protest he leaned forward and captured her mouth in a kiss, hot and salty. A soft puff of his breath blew over her face, and then he pulled back with a wry smile.

"I wanted to do that, at least once."

Her voice was dead in her throat. He said quietly, "I don't know what we'd do. But we'd be free of all this. And if you let me make you happy... I mean, fuck, Karin. We're not even twenty. How many times have I seen you almost die? You deserve more than this. You wouldn't regret it."

His face was set in that peculiar way of his, and she could see now that whatever she was going to say would not change his mind. Anger seared a path through her mind – what right did he have to say this _now_, when she was vulnerable, when he knew that she would listen? What right did he have to spin her insecurities into this fantasy?

It was this resentment, hot and pulsing, that made her turn away, burned her words with her rage. "You can call it whatever you want, but you're still running away. This is still deserting your post and your friends. You're no shinobi."

"Karin-" Suigetsu reached out, and she instinctively leaned into it before her mind caught up with it and she jerked herself back. Her lips were tingling, shoulders still warm from where his fingers pressed into them, and she absolutely could not deal with this. He was not going to give up. He might actually convince her to go, she might come close to packing her bag and leaving this place, and then everything she had done with this team, _for _this team, would have been for nothing.

"What makes you think I want you? You could never make me happy," she said, uncertainty and blind rage edging her words with venom. Anything to stop him, anything to make sure he didn't convince her...

He was utterly still for a moment, and regret was washing over her already, she was already opening her mouth to apologize, they could still talk this out, he didn't have to leave –

"Fine. Tell Sasuke that he's a dick for me. And... tell Juugo I'm sorry." Suigetsu's voice was controlled and level, but she knew him well enough to catch the slight tremble of his hands. Karin began to open her mouth, but he shook his head roughly, and placed a fingertip over her lips, silencing her.

"Don't. I'm different from you and Naruto. I can't crusade a lost cause."

He turned and walked away, legs tight, footsteps beginning to fade away. Karin stood, frozen to the spot, unable to escape the feeling of her life's path splitting beneath her feet into two roads curving away from each other. And she saw, for a moment, how things could be. Suigetsu was not an easy person to live with, and she knew that neither was she. They would probably argue constantly, have no place to go, no idea what to do with their lives. But it was not inconceivable, the idea of loving him, and the thought made her feel strangely warm – he was vibrant, honest, blazing with life... so different from the cold appeal of Sasuke. And he would wait for her, until she was ready to let go of this tattered love she held for the Uchiha, so close to wearing through. He knew her better than anyone else, would not push it.

(_seeing you happy is important to me_)

What was happiness, really? A month ago, the answer would have rolled off her tongue, unhesitating. Happiness was when Sasuke looked in her direction, however brief and cold the glance was. Happiness was playing cards with Suigetsu and Juugo in the afternoon sun. Happiness was –

Not something Karin knew much about, if she was honest.

A month ago, she had been so sure. But now, when she looked back, cracks were running over the surface of the memories. Because accompanied with Sasuke's glances was always the sharp stab of jealousy, the rawness of her throat, the knowledge that she was not good enough for him. And hanging over their card games was always death – the blood that stained their hands and clothes, the screams of all their victims ringing constantly through their ears, the heavy thought of more killing tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that...

(_let me make you happy_)

Nobody had ever said that to her. Not her parents, her teachers at the Academy, Orochimaru, Sasuke... she had always been a tool, a means to an end, even to the ones she loved – especially to the ones she loved. She knew that, and was okay. She had never _expected_ more than that, was perfectly content to serve them in order to glean those little signs of affection or approval that came when she had done something right – executing a particularly difficult jutsu, extracting a piece of information from a tight-lipped prisoner for Orochimaru, bringing Sasuke a step closer to his revenge. All it had taken was a word of praise, the faintest shadow of a smile, and her heart would soar, break free of her derelict surroundings and ruined childhood, buoyed among the stars, because surely _this _was happiness, these fleeting moments of connection were all she ever needed...

When Suigetsu smiled at her, it was not the tight acknowledgement of a job well done. It was a smile that held all of him, the bad and the good – sly but honest, arrogant but genuine. And all of it, _all_ of it, was for her.

(_maybe happiness is making the right choice)_

Suigetsu's back slowly retreated, strides heavy but determined, and after a moment Karin stepped forward, opening her mouth to call out after him.

Her arm twinged as it brushed her torso, and the pain jolted her – fiery and demanding. She should have taken the painkiller that Juugo had given her an hour ago –

Juugo.

It was like he was _right _there, like they were all right there, ghostly hands clutching at her shoulders, whispering to her – (_sasuke, darkly beautiful with his smile, unattainable as the stars/naruto, battered and broken, radiant in the shadow of his death/juugo, spiraling away from them all, trapped by his own mind_)– pulling her back.

She did not follow him.

"Good luck," she said softly instead, and pressed her fingertips to her lips to stop anything else coming out.

Suigetsu stopped mid-step, and turned around slowly, face pinched. "I'm not the one who needs it. Look, promise me something. Start thinking about yourself, okay? Keep safe."

"I promise," she said, breath cold on her fingers, voice cracking on the last word. He smiled, and she dashed at her eyes with angry palms.

When she looked up, he was gone.

* * *

**Karin was much more fun to write than I expected at the beginning of this fic. Next up: Naruto, Juugo, the day of the ritual and - wait for it - _more angst_, whoo! Hope you guys enjoyed - with any luck and depending on my work ethic the next chapter will be up in a week or two.**


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